COLLECTING AND DISCHARGING DEVICE FOR THE CUTTING JET OF A LIQUID CUTTING SYSTEM

Abstract

A collecting and discharge device for the cutting jet of a fluid jet cutting system, comprises a cutting jet collector and a discharge for the cutting medium flow collected the cutting jet collector. The cutting jet collector has a jet outflow channel with an inlet region for introducing the cutting jet. The cutting jet is in flow connection with an outlet region via an outflow line. The jet outflow channel leads into a suction chamber disposed underneath the outlet region, said suction chamber having an enlarged cross section in the outlet region compared with the cross section of the jet outflow channel. The suction chamber additionally connects the jet outflow channel with the outflow line and with a suction channel as well as being otherwise closed. The suction channel provides suction at a suction opening forming a suction mouth in a suction region surrounding the inlet region of the jet outflow channel.

Claims

1. A collecting and discharge device for the cutting jet of a fluid jet cutting system, comprising: a cutting jet collector; and a discharge for the cutting medium flow collected the cutting jet collector; wherein the cutting jet collector has a jet outflow channel with an inlet region for introducing the cutting jet; wherein the cutting jet is in flow connection with an outlet region via an outflow line; wherein the jet outflow channel leads into a suction chamber disposed underneath the outlet region, said suction chamber having an enlarged cross section in the outlet region compared with the cross section of the jet outflow channel; wherein the suction chamber additionally connects the jet outflow channel with the outflow line and with a suction channel as well as being otherwise closed; wherein the suction channel provides suction at a suction opening forming a suction mouth in a suction region surrounding the inlet region of the jet outflow channel.

2. The collecting and discharge device of claim 1, wherein the suction chamber is formed by a region where the outflow line opens.

3. The collecting and discharge device of claim 1, wherein the jet outflow channel comprises one or more nozzle-shaped cross sectional sections with a narrowing cross section to which a widening cross section is connected, viewed in the direction of flow.

4. The collecting and discharge device of claim 3, wherein the suction channel is in flow connection with the jet outflow channel in the region where the cross section widens following the narrowing of the cross section in the direction of flow.

5. The collecting and discharge device of claim 1, wherein the inlet region of the jet outflow channel is funnel-shaped.

6. The collecting and discharge device of claim 1, wherein the suction channel surrounds in an annular fashion a core of the collecting and discharge device except for the jet outflow channel.

7. The collecting and discharge device of claim 1, wherein two or more suction channels are provided.

8. The collecting and discharge device of claim 1, wherein the cutting jet, including the cutting medium and gas or workpiece particles escaping as a free jet from the jet outflow channel and forming a suction region surrounding the jet, enters the suction chamber.

9. A fluid jet cutting system with a workpiece support for a workpiece that is cut by a cutting jet, comprising: a collecting and discharge device for the cutting jet; wherein the cutting jet, movable relative to the workpiece, is provided from a cutting jet nozzle as a fluid jet, and, cutting the workpiece, enters a collecting and discharge device disposed below the workpiece, to collect particles of the workpiece and particles escaping from the fluid of the cutting jet as well as gaseous amounts forming the cutting jet, and wherein the collecting and discharge device is connected to a discharge of the cutting jet by the outflow line; wherein the collecting and discharge device for the cutting jet comprises: a cutting jet collector; and a discharge for the cutting medium flow collected by means of the cutting jet collector; wherein the cutting jet collector includes a jet outflow channel with an inlet region for introducing the cutting jet, which is in flow connection with an outlet region with an outflow line; wherein the jet outflow channel leads into a suction chamber disposed underneath the outlet region, said suction chamber having an enlarged cross section in the outlet region compared with the cross section of the jet outflow channel, and wherein the suction chamber additionally connects the jet outflow channel with the outflow line and with a suction channel as well as being otherwise closed; wherein the suction channel provides suction at a suction opening forming a suction mouth in a suction region surrounding the inlet region of the jet outflow channel.

10. The fluid jet cutting system of claim 9, wherein the diameter of the jet outflow channel is at least one of 1.5 to 10 times greater than the internal diameter of the cutting jet nozzle or dimensioned such that the decelerated medium of the cutting jet with no amounts of air may drain off, completely filling the jet outflow channel, and thereby may flow away continuously without blockage.

11. The fluid jet cutting system according to claim 9, wherein the cutting jet nozzle and the collecting and discharge device for the cutting jet are configured to work in synchronization with one another in a feed direction.

12. The fluid jet cutting system according to claim 9, wherein the outflow line is formed at least partially by a flexible hose line.

13. The fluid jet cutting system of claim 9, wherein the cutting jet is formed by a separator to separate the fluid, gaseous and solid particles of the cutting medium flow.

14. The fluid jet cutting system of claim 9, wherein the separator comprises a cyclone separator.

15. The fluid jet cutting system of claim 14, wherein separator is configured, to separate gaseous components of the cutting medium flow from remaining components, wherein the separating means is configured to deliver, via a vacuum hose serving as a gas discharge, the separated gaseous components.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0039] In the drawings:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows an example cutting system;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows the area of a cutting media outlet in a sectional view;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows an alternative example of the fluid jet cutting system;

[0043] FIG. 4 shows the nozzle-shaped design of a jet discharge channel of FIG. 3 in an enlarged representation;

[0044] FIG. 5 shows the area of the jet discharge channel in a top view;

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a variant of a suction channel; and

[0046] FIG. 7 schematically shows an example cutting system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a liquid cutting system including a cutting jet collector 5. The cutting jet collector 5 is provided below the workpiece support 1 on which the workpiece 2 rests. Here the workpiece support 1 is designed to be movable so that the workpiece 2 passes the cutting jet 4 emerging from the cutting jet nozzle 3, which makes a cut in the workpiece 2.

[0048] The cutting jet 4 (a jet for cutting media) passes through a gap (not visible here) in the workpiece support 1 and into the cutting jet collector 5. So that the gap does not have to extend through the entire length of the workpiece support 1, the workpiece 2 can be transported along the upper side of the workpiece support 1 via a workpiece carrier. Due to the dynamics of the high-pressure cutting used here with pressures of the cutting medium of up to 6000 bar, the cutting jet exits below the cut at high speed. This cutting jet includes the actual cutting jet 4, as well as particles coming from workpiece 2 and entrained air particles.

[0049] The cutting jet enters the entry area of the jet discharge channel 6 (see FIGS. 2-6; not shown in FIG. 1) in the cutting jet collector 5. After passing the workpiece 2, the cutting jet 4 widens slightly. As a result of this jet expansion, the reflections from the jet discharge channel 6, and other effects, it can also happen that particles are thrown out of the entrance area again in the opposite or a lateral direction. Due to this effect and other scattering effects, the area below the workpiece support 1 can have both atomized liquid components, workpiece particles or liquid droplets which, depending on the design of the workpiece support 1, can either deposit on this or on the workpiece 2 or escape from the liquid cutting system.

[0050] In order to be able to feed these undesirable components now also to the discharge line 10, which connects the collection and discharge device with the further preparation for the final cutting medium, suction is provided according to this disclosure, which provides a suction area 7 in the area between the workpiece support 1 and the collection and discharge device. This function is best seen in FIG. 2, which shows the collection and discharge device in a schematic cross-sectional view.

[0051] The cutting jet 4 emerging from the cutting jet nozzle 3 cuts the workpiece 2 and enters the collecting and discharge device through the opening in the workpiece support 1. Here a jet discharge channel 6 is provided in the middle. In the upper area, this jet discharge channel 6 is extended like a funnel in order to form an effective collector for the cutting jet 4.

[0052] In the lower area, the jet discharge channel 6 emerges from the core of the collection and discharge device, with a space being provided below this lower area into which the cutting jet then flows as a free jet. The diameter of this space, which serves as a suction chamber 14 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), is larger than that of the outlet opening of the jet discharge channel 6; in the design example shown, the diameter is approximately twice that of the jet discharge channel 6.

[0053] Due to the cutting jet emerging freely at high speed from the jet discharge channel 6, a vacuum is created around this jet according to the principle of the jet pump. A suction channel 8 is arranged in a ring around the core of the collection and discharge device, so that the negative pressure can suck off the area above the collection and discharge device, so that the area can function as suction area 7. Particles and ambient air are thus sucked into the suction channel 8 and then fed together with the cutting jet to the discharge pipe 10 (see FIG. 1).

[0054] The shown shape of the suction channel 8 is only an example, here several suction channels 8 distributed over the circumference can be provided instead of a ring-shaped channel. An advantage is that the cutting jet emerging from the jet discharge channel 6 itself generates the negative pressure which turns the area above the collecting and discharge device into the suction area 7.

[0055] As can be seen from FIG. 1, the media stream collected in this way is fed to a schematically depicted processing unit. This includes of a separator 11 which separates the gaseous components from the heavier solid or liquid components. This separator 11 can comprise a cyclone separator which, using centrifugal forces, is able to separate gaseous components from the heavier remaining components, which are then discharged into the environment by a gas discharge 13 into a suction direction of the gas SG, if it is environmentally harmless. This separation via the cyclone separator is already known, for example, from bag-less vacuum cleaners.

[0056] The remaining components are then discharged by the liquid discharge 12 in the discharge direction of the liquid SF and, if necessary, separated from each other by further cyclone separators or filter media and disposed of or reused in the case of the fluid.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the fluid jet cutting system shown in FIG. 2. With the exception of the jet discharge channel 6, this variant is identical to the version shown in FIG. 2. Here, however, the jet discharge channel 6 is nozzle-shaped.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows the nozzle-shaped design of the jet discharge channel 6 (detail “Z” in FIG. 3) in enlarged representation. The nozzle-side design results in a flow acceleration of the cutting jet 4, which improves the effect of the suction channel 8 due to the more favorable pressure drop.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows the area of the jet discharge channel 6 in a top view, i.e., from the point of view of the workpiece support 1 in a sectional view. The ring-shaped course of the suction channel 8 around the jet discharge channel 6 can be seen here.

[0060] FIG. 6 shows a variant of the suction channel 8 in which the suction channel 8 does not run as a ring around the jet discharge channel 6, but is formed by several individual suction channels 8.

[0061] FIG. 7 schematically shows a cutting system based on the disclosure, in which both the cutting jet nozzle 3 and the suction device arranged below the workpiece support 1 with the cutting jet collector 5 and the discharge line 10 are attached to a movable carrier. The carrier is mounted on schematically depicted rollers and can thus be moved along the fixed workpiece support 1. Alternatively, the carrier can of course also be fixed and the workpiece support 1 can be moved along the carrier.

[0062] The present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention.