PUNCH PRESS SET-UP

Abstract

The invention relates to a punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool with a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a traversing device for moving the upper tool in relation to the lower tool, wherein the punch press, especially the punching tool, the machine table and the traversing device are set up for replacing the punching tool for a punch product change to retool the punch press to new punch products to be punched.

Claims

1. Punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool comprising a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a traversing device for moving the upper tool in relation to the lower tool, characterized in that the punch press, especially the punching tool, the machine table and the traversing device are set up to replace the punching tool for a punching tool change to retool the punch press to new punch products to be punched.

2. Punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool comprising a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a traversing device for moving the upper tool in relation to the lower tool, characterized in that the punch press has a punching tool setup system, by means of which the punch press can be retrofitted, retooled or dismantled in regard to a punching tool.

3. Punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool comprising a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a traversing device for moving the upper tool in relation to the lower tool, in which the traversing device comprises a vertical drive for driving the upper tool, characterized in that the vertical drive is arranged on the frame upper side, wherein a first drive unit of the vertical drive is arranged on a left frame side member and a second drive unit of the vertical drive is arranged on a right frame side member.

4. Punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool comprising a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a ram device for carrying the upper tool, characterized in that the punch press has two individual ram devices, between which the upper tool is at least partially arranged.

5. Punch press according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the two individual ram devices is arranged and guided in each case on only one frame side member.

6. Punch press according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the two individual ram devices comprises its own adapter carriage.

7. Punch press according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the two individual ram devices comprises its own drive unit.

8. Punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool comprising a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a ram device for carrying the upper tool, characterized in that the upper tool is arranged at least partially inside the ram device in such a manner that side regions of the ram device are arranged laterally next to the upper tool.

9. Punch press according to claim 8, characterized in that the ram device is designed in a U-shape and is open on its side facing the lower tool.

10. Punch press according to claim 8, characterized in that the ram device has on its interior side coupling and clamping elements for coupling and uncoupling the upper tool.

11. Punch press according to claim 8, characterized in that the side regions of the ram device comprise a guide sleeve for receiving posts of a frame side member of the frame of the punch press.

12. Punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool comprising a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a traversing device for the vertical movement of the upper tool in relation to the lower tool, characterized in that the punch press comprises a carrier device for an upper tool, wherein the carrier device has the lower tool of the punching tool, and wherein the upper tool can be set down on the lower tool for setting up the punch press.

13. Punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, with a frame, with a punching tool comprising a lower tool and an upper tool, with a machine table for holding the lower tool, and with a traversing device for the vertical movement of the upper tool in relation to the lower tool, characterized in that the punch press comprises a rotatable changing table with an axis of rotation, about which a punching tool holder is rotatably seated.

14. Punch press according to claim 13, characterized in that the rotatable changing table has a vertical axis of rotation.

15. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that a traversing device comprises at least two vertically movable adapter carriages on which the upper tool is arranged in its entirety in a couplable and uncouplable manner, wherein the upper tool is replaceably arranged on the at least two vertically movable adapter carriages.

16. Punch press according to claim 15, characterized in that the at least two vertically movable adapter carriages are operatively connected to each other by means of the upper tool coupled to them.

17. Punch press according to claim 15, characterized in that a first one of the vertically movable adapter carriages is arranged in a vertically movable manner on a left frame side member of the punch press and a second one of the vertically movable adapter carriages is arranged in a vertically movable manner on a right frame side member of the punch press.

18. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that a traversing device comprises a front and/or a rear crossmember, by means of which at least two vertically movable adapter carriages of the traversing device are firmly connected to each other.

19. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that a traversing device comprises a synchronization device for ram devices of the punch press and/or adapter carriages, wherein especially the synchronization device comprises a rack part.

20. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that a traversing device comprises at least two guide units for guiding vertically movable adapter carriages of the traversing device, in which each of the guide units has at least two guide column elements, wherein especially one of these guide column elements comprises a slide bar part and another of these guide column elements comprises a rack part.

21. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that the punch press comprises a coupling device for the coupling and uncoupling, especially for the tool-free coupling and uncoupling, of the punching tool in relation to the frame of the punch press, wherein the coupling and uncoupling of the punching tool can take place in a manual and/or automated manner.

22. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that a traversing device comprises an upper coupling unit for the coupling and uncoupling of the upper tool on or from vertically movable adapter carriages of the traversing device.

23. Punch press according to claim 22, characterized in that the upper coupling unit has at least two, preferably three, movable coupling and clamping elements per vertically movable adapter carriage, wherein especially these movable coupling and clamping elements are arranged on the respective vertically movable adapter carriage in a manner to be couplable to the upper tool and uncouplable from the upper tool.

24. Punch press according to claim 22, characterized in that the upper coupling unit is arranged below a drive device for driving vertically movable adapter carriages.

25. Punch press according to claim 22, characterized in that movable coupling and clamping elements of the upper coupling unit are arranged on a side of the vertically movable adapter carriages, said side facing away from a drive device for driving vertically movable adapter carriages of the traversing device.

26. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine table of the punch press and/or the frame of the punch press comprises a lower coupling unit for coupling and uncoupling the lower tool to the machine table and from the machine table respectively.

27. Punch press according to claim 26, characterized in that the lower coupling unit has lower coupling and clamping elements, wherein these lower coupling and clamping elements can be coupled to the lower tool and uncoupled from the lower tool.

28. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine table of the punch press and/or the frame of the punch press comprise a centering device with pre-centering and/or main centering means to center the punching tool especially during insertion into the punch press.

29. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that the punch press comprises a drive device for driving vertically movable adapter carriages of a traversing device, wherein the drive device for the vertically movable adapter carriages is arranged on a frame upper side.

30. Punch press according to claim 29, characterized in that the drive device is arranged above the vertically movable adapter carriages.

31. Punch press according to claim 29, characterized in that each of the vertically movable adapter carriages is assigned its own drive unit with drive means, such as a hydraulic cylinder drive, a pneumatic cylinder drive and/or an electrical motor drive or similar.

32. Punch press according to claim 31, characterized in that the respective drive unit with drive means is arranged on frame side members of the frame of the punch press, especially on guide column elements for guiding vertically movable adapter carriages.

33. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that a traversing device of the punch press is set up for vertically moving the upper tool In relation to the lower tool.

34. Punch press according to claim 1, characterized in that the punch press comprises an automated robot device having a multi-axially movable manipulator, which is set up for removing finished punched punch products on the rear side of the punch press.

35. Punching tool setup system for a punch press, especially according to one of the preceding claims, which comprises an adapter device having vertically movable adapter carriages for the adapting of changing punching tools to the punch press, a horizontally movable machine table for changing the punching tool, and a carrier device, which is movable with the movable machine table, for carrying, especially for inserting and removing, an upper tool of the punching tool.

36. Punching tool setup system according to claim 35, characterized in that the movable carrier device comprises a lower tool of the punching tool.

37. Punching tool setup system according to claim 35, characterized in that the punching tool setup system comprises coupling means, by means of which the punching tool can be coupled to the punch press or uncoupled from the punch press, especially by means of which the upper tool can be coupled to the adapter device or uncoupled from the adapter device, and especially by means of which the lower tool can be coupled to the machine table or be uncoupled from the machine table.

38. Punching tool setup system according to claim 35, characterized in that the punching tool setup system comprises punching tools, in which a lower tool of a punching tool and an upper tool of a punching tool can be operatively connected to form a mobile change unit.

39. Punching tool for punching out punch products, especially automotive components, such as instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, for a punch press, especially for a punch press and/or for a punching tool setup system according to one of the preceding claims, having a lower tool and having an upper tool, in which the lower tool and the upper tool are set up such that the upper tool can be set down on the lower tool, so that the upper tool is carried by the lower tool.

40. Punching tool according to claim 39, characterized in that the lower tool has carrier elements, especially four carrier arm elements, for the upper tool, on which the upper tool can be set down when setting up the punch press, and/or the upper tool has support elements, especially four support arm elements, for the lower tool, on which the upper tool can be supported on the lower tool when setting up the punch press.

41. Method for retrofitting a punch press with a punching tool in which the punching tool is inserted into the punch press from the operator and/or rear side (B, R) of the punch press, preferably as a transportable tool package consisting of a lower and upper tool, and coupled to the punch press.

42. Method for setting up a punch press for various punching tools to produce various punch products on the punch press, in which a punching tool arranged in the punch press is uncoupled from the punch press and then removed from the punch press, preferably as a transportable tool package consisting of a lower and upper tool, and in which another punching tool is then inserted, preferably as a transportable tool package consisting of a lower and upper tool, into the punch press and is coupled to the punch press.

43. Method according to claim 42, in which by means of vertically movable adapter carriages of a traversing device of the punch press (1), an upper tool is lowered on to a lower tool and is set down on it so that the upper tool is carried by the lower tool.

44. Method according to claim 42, in which the upper tool is manually and/or mechanically uncoupled by means of upper coupling and clamping elements of vertically movable adapter carriages of a traversing device for the vertical movement of the upper tool.

45. Method according to claim 44, in which the vertically movable adapter carriages move vertically upward and are removed by the upper tool.

46. Method according to claim 42, in which the lower tool is uncoupled manually and/or mechanically from a machine table of the punch press by means of lower coupling and clamping elements, and in which subsequently the machine table is moved horizontally out of the punching space of the punch press and the punching tool is carried out of the punching space, preferably as a transportable tool package consisting of a lower and upper tool, and transported away afterward by the punch press.

47. Method according to claim 4, in which a punching tool is delivered to the punch press and is inserted by means of a horizontally movable machine table of the punch press into the punching space of the punch press.

48. Method for operating a punch press for punching out punch products, such as automotive components, especially instrument panels, door interior panels or similar, in which the punch products are inserted from the operator side into the punch press, especially into a punch operating space, in which the punch products are punched, and in which the punched out products are taken out of the punch press, characterized in that the punched out punch products are removed in an automated manner on the rear side of the punch press.

49. Method according to claim 48, characterized in that the punched out punch products are removed on the rear side of the punch press by means of a manipulator, which preferably moves in a multiaxial manner in the space, of a robot device.

50. Method according to claim 48, characterized in that a pivotably mounted machine table only pivots in the direction of the operator side, preferably about a horizontal pivot axis, after the punched out punch products were removed on the rear side of the punch press.

51. Use of a punch lower tool of a punching tool as an insertion and/or removal device for a punch upper tool of the punching tool when retrofitting or setting up a punch press with punching tools.

Description

[0182] In the drawings:

[0183] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a front view of a punch press having a replaceable punching tool in a normal starting position;

[0184] FIG. 2 schematically depicts another front view of the punch press depicted in FIG. 1 in a starting position for a punching tool change having a lowered traversing and adapter device and an upper tool hereby already set down on the lower tool regarding a transport position;

[0185] FIG. 3 schematically depicts a detailed view of a left vertically movable adapter carriage having an upper coupling unit for the automated coupling or uncoupling of the upper tool regarding the punch press shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0186] FIG. 4 schematically depicts a next front view of the punch press shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 in a first uncoupled position with an already uncoupled upper tool and with a traverse or adapter device moved upwards again without an upper tool;

[0187] FIG. 5 schematically depicts a detailed view of a left lower coupling unit for coupling and uncoupling the lower tool regarding the punch press shown in FIGS. 1 to 4;

[0188] FIG. 6 schematically depicts a first perspective front view of the punch press from FIGS. 1 to 5 according to the uncoupled position shown in FIG. 4;

[0189] FIG. 7 schematically depicts another perspective front view of the punch press from FIGS. 1 to 6 with a punching tool, essentially already removed from the punch press, in the shape of a transportable tool package or a mobile changing unit consisting essentially of the upper and the lower tool of the punching tool;

[0190] FIG. 8 schematically depicts another perspective front view of the punch press from FIGS. 1 to 7 with a robot device for removing punch products on the rear side of the punch press; and

[0191] FIG. 9 schematically depicts a view of a ram device having a U-shaped main body.

[0192] The punch press 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 is set up for punching out various punch products (not shown here). Such punch products, which are first machined on this punch press 1, come from the automotive sector, such as instrument panels, door interior panels and so on, but may also be other punch products. In particular, the punch press 1 is set up to replace a punching tool 2 for a punch product change so that the punch press 1 can be equipped with various punching tools 2, especially at its deployment location 3 or on site.

[0193] The present punch press 1 has a longitudinal dimension L, a height dimension H as well as a depth dimension T. Furthermore, the punch press 1 also has an operator side B, which represents the front side of the punch press 1, on which the punch press 1 is operated by an operator. Accordingly, the punch press 1 has a rear side R positioned further back opposite the operator side B.

[0194] Furthermore, the punch press 1 has a frame 4, which essentially consists of a frame bottom part 5, a frame top part 6 as well as frame side members 7 and 8, namely a left frame side member 7 and the right frame side member 8.

[0195] The frame bottom part 5 is essentially characterized by a solid frame 9, by means of which the punch press 1 stands stably on a ground foundation 10.

[0196] The frame top part 6 consists essentially of a front and a rear top flange part 12 and 13 respectively, wherein the front upper crossmember part 12 and the rear upper crossmember part 13 are firmly joined at their outer ends in each case to an upper frame 16 using a connecting part 14 and 15 respectively.

[0197] Each of the two frame side members 7 and 8 has a front and rear post 18 and 19 respectively (here only numbered for illustrative purposes regarding the left frame side member 7; see for example FIG. 6).

[0198] The front post 18 is hereby executed as a tension rod in the shape of a toothed rod section 20, while the rear post 19 is designed as a sliding rod section 21.

[0199] In any case, the frame bottom part 5 and the frame top part 6 are separated from each other and kept apart by the front and rear posts 18 and 19, and specifically in such a manner that between the frame bottom part 5 and the frame top part 6, there is a sufficiently large installation space 23 and thus ultimately also a punch operating space 24 of the punch press 1.

[0200] Furthermore, there is provided on the frame bottom part 5 a machine table 25 with which the lower tool 26 of the punching tool 2 is held in the punch press 1.

[0201] The machine table 25 is highly pivotable about a pivot axis 25A from the rear side R to insert punch products more simply into the punch press and to remove them again from the punch press 1 after a punching process.

[0202] In any case, this pivot function is fixedly integrated in the punch press 1 and in its machine table 25 respectively and not in the punching tool 2 or especially in the lower tool 26 thereof, by means of which the present change function is significantly improved.

[0203] In contrast, the upper tool 27 of the punch press 2 is held on a traversing device 28, by means of which the upper tool 27 can be moved vertically in the punch operating space 24.

[0204] Generally, this punch press 1 is now set up for the punching tool 2 to be replaced for a punch product change at the primary deployment location 3 of the punch press 1, without, as has been required to date in prior art, having to dismantle this punch press 1 and transporting it to the manufacturing plant to laboriously retool the punch press 1 there to another punching tool 2, if this even appears reasonable from an economic perspective.

[0205] For an especially simple punching tool change, the traversing device 28 is designed in this case directly as an adapter device 32 with two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31, above which the upper tool 27 as a whole is arranged in a couplable and uncouplable manner to the punch press 1.

[0206] The two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31 can hereby be strictly seen as two separate ram devices.

[0207] To securely hold the upper tool 27 to the two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31 or to the traversing device 28 of the punch press 1, this adapter device 32 also has in each case an adapter toothing 33 having a plurality of holding and positioning teeth 34 (numbered only for illustrative purposes).

[0208] Specifically, the upper tool 25 as a whole can be coupled or uncoupled from the two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31, which means that not only can individual punching and cutting means (not depicted here) be replaced, but the entire body 35 of the upper tool 27 is replaceably arranged directly on the traversing device 28.

[0209] The upper tool 27 fixedly but replaceably coupled in this way to the traversing device 28 connects among other things the two vertically movable adapter carriages 30 and 31 within the meaning of a crossmember main part 36, by means of which the upper tool 27 gives the two adapter carriages 30 and 31 a stable connection.

[0210] To further stiffen the punch press 1, especially the traversing device 28, or to cross-connect the left adapter carriage 30 to the right adapter carriage 31 when the upper tool 27 is uncoupled, the traversing device 28 also has a front crossmember secondary part 37 and a rear crossmember secondary part 38.

[0211] The two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31, guided vertically by means of the traversing device 28, are positioned on the punch press 1 wherein the traversing device 28 has for this purpose a left guide unit 42 to vertically guide the left adapter carriage 30 as well as a right guide unit 43 to vertically guide the right adapter carriage 31.

[0212] In this embodiment, the two guide units 42 and 43 are each formed by guide post elements (not explicitly numbered here again) of the left frame side member 7 or the right frame side member 8 in the shape of posts 18 and 19 respectively.

[0213] In this way and in regard to its two guide units, the traversing unit 28 is executed in a structurally simple manner directly by the frame side members 7 and 8 of the frame 4, by means of which the punch press 1 is built even more compactly overall.

[0214] For the vertical actuation of the two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31 and to that extent also the upper tool 27, the traversing device 28 advantageously comprises a corresponding vertical drive 50, wherein this vertical drive 50 is advantageously arranged on the frame upper side 51, by means of which the vertical drive 50 is arranged above and especially also outside of the punch operating space 24.

[0215] This alone improves already good accessibility to the machine installation space 23 in general and specifically to the punch operating space 24, so that a punching tool change can be undertaken even more favorably on the punch press 1 and specifically at the deployment location 3.

[0216] The vertical drive 50 of the traversing device 28 hereby comprises a first drive unit 52 for actuating the left adapter carriage 30 as well as a second drive unit 53 for actuating the right adapter carriage 31.

[0217] To that extent, this vertical drive with its two drive units 52 and 53 at least partially embodies an advantageously placed drive device 55 for driving the vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31 respectively.

[0218] In this way, the drive unit 55 is also placed on the frame upper side 51 of the punch press 1.

[0219] More specifically, the drive device 55 is also arranged above the two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31 so that especially the two drive units 52 and 53 of the vertical drive 50 are located above the machine installation space 23 or especially the punch operating space 24.

[0220] The two vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31 or the upper tool 27 temporarily fixed to it can hereby be moved vertically upward and downward using the two drive units 52 and 53.

[0221] To that extent, the first vertically moveable adapter carriage 30 is assigned its own drive unit 52 and the second vertically moveable adapter carriage 31 is assigned its own drive unit 53.

[0222] In this embodiment, the two drive units 52 and 53 are each equipped with a hydraulic cylinder drive 56 (numbered here only for illustrative purposes; see FIG. 1), whose cylinder part 57 is firmly attached in the respective connection part 14 or 15 of the upper frame 16 and the frame top part 6 respectively, wherein the piston part 58 of the hydraulic cylinder drive 56 can be extended downward out of the cylinder part 57 or retracted upwards into the cylinder part 57 (see especially FIG. 6).

[0223] The end 59, facing away from the cylinder part 57, of the respective piston part 58 is hereby connected to the left or right adapter carriages 30 and 31 respectively, so that by actuating the hydraulic cylinder drive 56, the adapter carriages 30 and 31 can be moved downward or upward within the frame 4 of the punch press 1.

[0224] To that extent, the present punch press 1 has an extremely compactly built traversing device 28 or drive device 55, which can be ideally housed entirely in the frame side members 7 and 8 of the punch press 1.

[0225] In particular, by this proposed design, especially in regard to the drive device 55, one can omit a ramas is actually always provided in conventional punch presses. This results in a much more generously configured machine installation space 23 or punch operating space 24 respectively, since these are not further obstructed by a hitherto conventional ram.

[0226] The accessibility of the punch operating space 24, especially when inserting a punching tool 2 into the punch press 1 or removing a punching tool 2 from the punch press 1 is again significantly improved by the advantageous machine table 25, independently of the other features of the invention, since the machine table 25 can be moved horizontally for changing the punching tool 2.

[0227] In other words, this means that the machine table 25 can be displaced toward or, in relation to a horizontal displacement plane 62, at least partially toward operator side B out of the machine installation space 23 and the punch operating space 2 respectively, as one can readily see especially according to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 7.

[0228] So that the machine table 25 can be moved along the horizontal displacement plane 62, there is provided on the frame bottom part 5 a horizontal traversing device 65, which comprises in this embodiment guide carriage parts 67 guided in guide rail parts 66.

[0229] Furthermore, the horizontal traversing device 65 in this embodiment comprises two pedestal parts 68 (numbered here only for illustrative purposes; see FIG. 7), by means of which the machine table 25 pulled out of the punch press 1 can also be supported in relation to the ground foundation 10. The pedestal parts 68 can hereby have corresponding casters (not depicted here) or sliding feet 69, which are guided in a slide-bearing manner in complementary slide tracks (not depicted here) recessed in the ground foundation 10.

[0230] In any case, by means of this horizontally moveable machine table 25 here, the accessibility to the entire punching tool 2 is significantly improved when changing punching tools.

[0231] However, not only the accessibility to the punching tool 2 per se proves to be extremely advantageous, but also the insertion or removal of the punching tool 2 in relation to the punch press 1 itself, since there is an access here that is kept especially component-free.

[0232] Furthermore, the punch press 1 is characterized also by a coupling device 75 for the coupling and uncoupling of the punching tool 2 in relation to the punch press 1 or in relation to the frame 4 of the punch press 1.

[0233] With this coupling device 75, it is extremely appropriate that for coupling and uncoupling the punching tool 2 or the lower tool 26 and the upper tool 27 preferably no handheld tool is required, by means of which a punching tool change is again significantly simplified.

[0234] It hereby makes no difference whether coupling or uncoupling of the punching tool 2 occurs in a manual or automated manner, wherein a combination of manual and automated coupling or uncoupling is also possible.

[0235] In the present embodiment, the coupling device 75 has an upper coupling unit 76 for coupling and uncoupling the upper tool 27 to or from the vertically moveable adapter carriages 30 and 31. The upper coupling unit 76 is essentially shown and described for illustrative purposes in relation to the left adapter carriage 30.

[0236] According to the embodiment shown here in FIGS. 1 to 7, the upper coupling unit 76 comprises upper coupling means 77 having at least two displaceable coupling and spanning elements 78A and 78B, which can be seen schematically, and more clearly especially according to the depiction according to FIG. 3.

[0237] Each of the coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B hereby has a displaceable pin element 79 (numbered here only for illustrative purposes), which can be moved out of a pin bearing housing 80 (also numbered only for illustrative purposes) and into the machine installation space 23 or the punch operating space 24 to detachably fix the upper tool 27 to the respective adapter carriage 30 or 31.

[0238] The coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B are hereby arranged below the adapter toothing 33 of the adapter device 32 in such a manner that especially for pin elements 79, extended out of the pin bearing housings 80, there is between the adapter toothing 33 and the pin element 79 altogether a coupling or clamping space 81, in which a shoulder part section 82 (see FIG. 2) of the upper tool 27 or its body is gripped or clamped, so that the upper tool is detachably fixed in a reliable manner to the adapter carriages 30 and 31 on the left and right side each.

[0239] According to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 3, one can also readily see that between the individual holding and positioning teeth 34, receiving gaps 84 are also present, in which additional rib elements 85 of the upper tool 27 can engage to temporarily connect the upper tool 27 more deeply with the respective adapter carriages 30 and 31.

[0240] These rib elements 85 are located directly above the shoulder part section 82 of the body 35 of the upper tool 27.

[0241] In any case, the respective pin element 79 of the coupling device 75 is not only horizontally displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal dimension L in the machine installation space 23 or the punch operating space 24, but it is also arranged on the punch press 1 so as to be vertically moveable by means of adapter carriages 30 and 31 of the adapter device 32 in the direction of the vertical dimension H, i.e., in other words also height-adjustable in relation to the upper tool 27 or the machine installation space 23 or the punch operating space 24.

[0242] The moveable coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B can hereby be positioned in an especially precise manner in relation to the respective shoulder part section 82 or the rib elements 85 of the upper tool 27, so that after inserting a punching tool 2 into the punch press 1, a coupling of the upper tool 27 to the punch press 1 can be easily undertaken.

[0243] Another reason for the problem-free interaction of the coupling device 75 or components thereof with the upper tool 27 is also that the upper coupling unit 76 of the coupling device 75 is arranged below the drive device 55 or its respective hydraulic cylinder drive 56, so that an interaction of coupling and clamping elements 78A or 78B with the upper tool 27 is made possible in a problem-free manner.

[0244] Another especially major advantage is that both the respective coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B as well as the respective drive units 52 or 53 are arranged near the respective frame side members 7 or 8, by means of which only minor lever arms result and thus when punching, only decreased torques result on the coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B. Corresponding loads on the punch press 1 are hereby easily manageable.

[0245] In particular, the coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B of the upper coupling unit 76 and the drive units 52 and 53 or hydraulic cylinder drives 56 of the drive device 55 are essentially well placed in the respective frame side member 7 and 8, or within or near a related, vertically running central frame side member plane 87.

[0246] Furthermore, the moveable coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B are arranged on a side 87, facing away from the drive device 55, of the adapter carriage 30 or 31 on the vertically movable adapter carriages 30 or 31. The respective adapter carriage 30 or 31 with its adapter toothing 33 can hereby be set on the left or right shoulder part section 82 of the upper tool 27, and subsequently the coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78B or their respective pin element 79 can be moved under the respective shoulder part section 82 and hereby grip behind and simultaneously clamp the respective shoulder part section 82 within the corresponding coupling or clamping space 81 on the left and right adapter carriage 30 or 31, so that the upper tool 27 is securely but detachably fixed on the adapter device 32 and thus also on the traversing device 28.

[0247] In order to now similarly fix the lower tool 26 temporarily in a secure but detachable manner, especially on the machine table 25, the coupling device in this embodiment also has in regard to the machine table 25 a lower coupling unit 90 for coupling and uncoupling the lower tool 26 in relation to the machine table 25.

[0248] The lower coupling unit 90 hereby has lower coupling means 91 with also displaceable coupling and clamping elements 92A and 92B, which each comprise pin elements 94 movably seated in a pin bearing housing 93.

[0249] By means of these lower coupling and clamping elements 92A and 92B, the lower coupling unit 90 can interact with the lower tool 26 in such a manner that this lower tool 26 can be temporarily coupled to the machine table 25, but can also simply be uncoupled from the machine table 25 for a punching tool change.

[0250] The coupling and clamping elements 92A and 92B hereby happen to have these lower coupling means 91 in the form of movable pin elements 94.

[0251] So that specifically the lower tool 26 can be inserted, especially using the horizontally movable machine table 25, for example without tilting and thus reliably into the punch press 1, the punch press 1 has a corresponding centering device 97 especially with pre-centering means 98, which are arranged in this embodiment on both sides of the machine table 25.

[0252] More specifically, this centering device 97 comprises, on the punching tool insertion side or in this case on the operator side B, rearward tapering pre-centering means 98 in the form of a left guide element 99 arranged on the left side of the machine table 25 as well as a corresponding right guiding element 100 arranged on the right side of the machine table 25.

[0253] Both guide elements 99 and 100 each have a guide and centering surface 101 (numbered here only for illustrative purposes; see FIG. 5) running diagonally to the punch operating space 24, wherein the centering and guide surfaces 101 of the left guide element 99 and the right guide element 100 form in their interaction an insertion lane 102 tapering in the direction of the punch operating space 24.

[0254] In addition, the centering device 97 also comprises main centering means 105, which are arranged along the continuing insertion lane 102 behind the pre-centering means 98 in a right- and left-flanking manner.

[0255] These main centering means 105 are characterized at least in this embodiment essentially by roller and slide elements 106, which are carried by vertical axis elements 107 (see FIG. 5).

[0256] By means of the centering device 97 provided here, during a punching tool change or similar, a punching tool 2 to be inserted in the punch press 1 can be oriented precisely on the machine table 25 especially by means of its lower tool 26, so that a coupling of the punching tool 2 can occur on the punch press 1 in the most error-free and precise manner possible.

[0257] The insertion or removal of a punching tool 2 can once again be executed much more simply on the present punch press 1, since the lower tool 26 in this embodiment is at once a carrier device 110 for the upper tool 27, as one can specifically according to the depiction according to FIG. 7.

[0258] This means that the upper tool 27 is simply set down on the lower tool 26, by means of which an easily insertable or removable transportable tool package 111 or a mobile change unit 112 is advantageously available.

[0259] So that the lower tool 26 and the upper tool 27 can be connected in a defined manner with each other to the transportable tool package 111 or the mobile change unit 112, the lower tool 26 has in this embodiment four carrier arm elements 113 (numbered here only for illustrative purposes), on which the upper tool 27 can be set down.

[0260] In addition, the upper tool 27 also has in this embodiment four support arm elements 114 (here also only numbered for illustrative purposes), by means of which the upper tool 27 can be supported by the lower tool 26 during the punching tool change.

[0261] At this point, it shall be mentioned that the carrier arm elements 113 or support arm elements 114 shown here for illustrative purposes can be executed in various ways.

[0262] For example, they may comprise additional locking means (not shown) by means of which the lower tool 26 and the upper tool 27 of the transportable tool packages 111 or the mobile change unit 112 can be firmly, but detachably, connected temporarily to each other to hereby reduce the risk of accidents when setting up the punching press 1 or when transporting the punching tool 2.

[0263] To that extent, the lower tool 26, in addition to the horizontally displaceable machine table 25, can be utilized in a structurally simple manner at once as an expanded insertion and/or removal device 115 for the upper tool 27, by means of which a punching tool change can be designed even more simply.

[0264] In this context, it is also extremely advantageous that the lower tool 26 can also function as a storage or temporary storage device (not numbered again) for the upper tool 27, if the entire punching tool 2 is to be temporarily stored as a transportable tool package 111 or as a mobile change unit 112.

[0265] Within the meaning of the invention, according to an additional aspect, a punching tool retooling system 120 is achieved in this case for or on a punch press 1, by means of which a punching tool change can be undertaken directly at a deployment location 3 in an uncomplicated manner and thus very quickly.

[0266] In this embodiment, the punching tool retooling system 120 is essentially characterized by the adapter device 32, the coupling device 75, the horizontally movable machine table 25 as well as the carrier device 110.

[0267] According to the depiction of FIG. 1, the present punch press 1 is also shown in a normal starting position, i.e., the traversing device 28 or the adapter device 32 are moved up to just under the upper frame 16 of the frame top part 6. In other words, the traversing device 28 or the adapter device 32 and thus also the upper tool 27 are located in an uppermost position within the punch press 1 and especially within the machine installation space 23. In this starting position, the punch press 1 can be loaded with a punch product to be punched or an already punched punch product is removed from the punch press 1. To this end, the machine table 25 can also be pivoted if needed about its pivot axis 25A so that access is substantially simplified especially to the lower tool 26.

[0268] According to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 2, the traversing device 28 or the adapter device 32 can be moved so far downward in the direction of the machine table 25 that the upper tool can be put down, in a disconnected state on the lower tool 26 and within the meaning of the invention can also be disconnected. More specifically, the upper tool 27 is supported with its support arm elements 114 on the carrier arm elements 113 of the lower tool 26, so that already at this point in time the lower tool 26 functions as a carrier device 110 for the upper tool 27. Subsequently, the upper coupling unit 76 is actuated in such a manner that front and rear upper coupling and clamping elements 78A and 78A on the adapter carriages 30 and 31 are uncoupled from the upper tool 27 (cf. FIG. 3), so that the traversing device 28 or the adapter device 32 can be moved upward again in the direction of the frame top part 6 without the upper tool 27. The adapter toothing 33 is hereby detached and removed from the upper tool 27, by means of which the upper tool 27 is held, according to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 4, only by the lower tool 26 as a function of the carrier device 110 in the punch press 1. The lower tool 26 and the upper tool 27 hereby already form the transportable tool package 111 or the mobile change unit 112.

[0269] At the same time as the uncoupling of the upper coupling unit 76, or also first afterward, the lower coupling unit 90 (cf. FIG. 5) is actuated such that corresponding front lower coupling and clamping elements 92A and 92B also uncouple from the lower tool 26, by the additional pin elements 94 being retracted into the respective other pin bearing housings 93. It follows from this that the lower tool 26 is also uncoupled from the punch press 1 in such a manner that it can be removed from the machine installation space 23.

[0270] According to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 6, the punch press 1 is shown again in a perspective view regarding its situation from FIGS. 2 and 3, in which the upper tool 27 is set down on the lower tool 26, and the upper tool 27 is thereby already uncoupled by means of the upper coupling unit 76 from the punch press 1.

[0271] According to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 7, the horizontally movable machine table 25 along with the transportable tool package 111 or the mobile change unit 112 is displaced forward out of the machine installation space 23 to the operator side B. To that extent, both the lower tool 26 as well as the upper tool 27 are now fully uncoupled by means of the coupling device 75 of the punch press 1 and stand free as a transportable tool package 111 or as a mobile change unit 112 on the horizontally movable machine table 25. More specifically, the transportable tool package 111 or the mobile change unit 112 composed of the lower tool 26 and the upper tool 27 are ready for pickup in front of the punch press 1 or its machine installation space 23.

[0272] As soon as the horizontally machine table 25 is free, a different punching tool 2 can be placed there and inserted again in the punch press 1 or in its machine installation space 23 by means of the horizontally movable machine table 25.

[0273] A punching tool change within the meaning of the present invention has hereby then taken place at the deployment location 3 of the punch press 1.

[0274] Additionally or alternatively to the earlier described pin elements 79 or 94 of the coupling device 75, manual screw connections or other hydraulic or preferably electrically operated wedge clamping elements (not shown here) may also be provided.

[0275] In addition, the present punch press 1 is also characterized by a variable layout in regard to the electrical and pneumatic and/or hydraulic units 125 and 126, wherein the electrical unit 126 according to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 1 is arranged for illustrative purposes on the right side of the punch press 1 and the pneumatic and/or hydraulic unit 126 (only shown in a concealed manner) are located behind the electrical unit 125 on the rear side R of the punch press.

[0276] However, the electrical unit 125 and the pneumatic and/or the hydraulic unit 126 can also be arranged in a reversed manner, in regard to operator side B and the rear side R, on the right side or alternatively also on the left side of the punch press 1.

[0277] Another possibility consists of one of the units 125 and 126 being arranged on the rear side R and the other unit 125 or 126 being provided either to the left or right on the punch press 1.

[0278] Or both units 125 and 126 can also be placed on the rear side R.

[0279] The respective media coupling regarding the electrical unit 125 or the pneumatic and/or hydraulic unit 126 occurs via a bulkhead plate, so that these units 125 and 126 can be placed quickly and problem-free in the most diverse deployment locations of the punch press 1 at the designated connection points of the punch press 1.

[0280] Just by these various arrangement possibilities alone mentioned for illustrative purposes, the punch press 1 has a very high variability in regard to the layout and the punching press 1 is correspondingly flexibly configurable, by means of which the punch press 1 can be adapted problem-free in a modular manner to the most diverse deployment location conditions or customer requests.

[0281] In addition, this variable layout as well as the overall generous configuration of the machine installation space 23 or the punch operating space 24 offer especially good accessibility both from the operator side B as well as from the rear side. For example, inserting diverse punch products from the front, in other words from the operator side B, is possible, wherein a removal of the punched punch products can also occur problem-free from the rear, in other words from rear side R.

[0282] If applicable, the insertion and the removal of punch products can also occur using a robot mechanism.

[0283] It is especially advantageous that there is no conventional upper ram (not shown here) on the punch press 1, as is the case especially in punch presses to date or similar, by means of which in this case however the earlier described advantages are achievable on the punch press 1, such as a substantially larger machine installation space 23 or punch operating space 24 with significantly improved accessibility, so that this additional installation space can be used in an especially advantageous manner for the adapter device 32 or the coupling device 75 and overall for the punching tool setup system 120.

[0284] According to the depiction according to FIG. 8, the punch press 1 is also shown in combination with an automated removal device (not numbered separately) in the form of a robot device 127 having a multi-axially movable manipulator 128, by means of which finished punched out punch products can be removed from the rear side R of the punch press 1.

[0285] In this depiction, the robot device 127 is arranged laterally behind the punch press. However, based on its multi-axially movable manipulator 128, it can also be placed at other locations in the region of the rear side R of the punch press 1.

[0286] Alternatively, the present punch press 1 can also be equipped with a modified ram device 130, as this is depicted according to the depiction pursuant to FIG. 9.

[0287] This ram device 130 has a main body 131 designed in a U-shape, which has a cover element 132 and on its lateral ends 133 and 134 as side regions a leg element 135 or 136.

[0288] The leg elements 135 and 136 hereby extend at right angles downward from the cover element 132.

[0289] The main body 131 designed in a U-shape can hereby be designed in various ways, for example as a cast component, or like in this embodiment as a weld design composed of individual profile elements.

[0290] The main body 131 structured in this way offers a tool receiving space 137, in which the whole or part, for example two-thirds, of the upper tool 27 can be arranged.

[0291] The lateral leg elements 135 or 136 hereby laterally enclose the whole or some of the upper tool 27, by means of which the upper tool 27 can be placed on the punch press 1 in a space-saving manner within the ram device 130.

[0292] In the installed state, the ram device 130 is open on its lower side 138 in the direction of the lower tool 26 of the punch press 1, to that extent also of the tool receiving space 137.

[0293] The lateral leg elements 135 or 136 hereby comprise guide units 42 or 43 for guiding the punch press 1 on posts 18 or 19, wherein the guide units 42 or 43 here also comprise guide sleeves 139 (numbered only for illustrative purposes).

[0294] The previously already described coupling means 76 and 77 are also found in the tool receiving space 137 on the lateral leg elements 135 or 136, so that the upper tool 27 can be coupled within the meaning of the invention to the ram device 130, but also be uncoupled again by the ram device 130.

[0295] At this point, it shall be pointed out once again that features of the solutions described previously or in the claims and/or drawings may also be combined if applicable to implement or achieve features, effects and advantages of the present invention in a corresponding cumulative manner.

[0296] It is understood that the embodiment described above only involves a first design of the punch press according to the invention. To that extent, the design of the invention is not limited to this embodiment shown for illustrative purposes.

[0297] All features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as critical to the invention to the extent they are novel individually or in combination with each other in relation to prior art.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS USED

[0298] 1 Punch press [0299] 2 Punching tool [0300] 3 Deployment location or on site [0301] 4 Frame [0302] 5 Frame bottom part [0303] 6 Frame top part [0304] 7 Left frame side member [0305] 8 Right frame side member [0306] 9 Frame [0307] 10 Ground foundation [0308] 12 Front top flange part [0309] 13 Rear top flange part [0310] 14 Left connection part [0311] 15 Right connection part [0312] 16 Upper frame [0313] 18 Front post [0314] 19 Rear post [0315] 20 Rack part [0316] 21 Slide bar part [0317] 23 Machine installation space [0318] 24 Punch operating space [0319] 25 Horizontally movable machine table [0320] 25A Pivot axis [0321] 26 Lower tool [0322] 27 Upper tool [0323] 28 Traversing device [0324] 30 Left adapter carriage or right ram device [0325] 31 Right adapter carriage or left ram device [0326] 32 Adapter device [0327] 33 Adapter toothing [0328] 34 Holding and positioning teeth [0329] 35 Body [0330] 36 Crossmember main part [0331] 37 Front crossmember secondary part [0332] 38 Rear crossmember secondary part [0333] 42 Left guide unit [0334] 43 Right guide unit [0335] 50 Vertical drive [0336] 51 Frame upper side [0337] 52 First drive unit [0338] 53 Second drive unit [0339] 55 Drive device [0340] 56 Hydraulic cylinder drives [0341] 57 Cylinder part [0342] 58 Piston part [0343] 59 End facing away [0344] 62 Horizontal displacement plane [0345] 65 Horizontal traversing device [0346] 66 Guide track parts [0347] 67 Guide carriage parts [0348] 68 Pedestal parts [0349] 69 Sliding feet [0350] 75 Coupling device [0351] 76 Upper coupling unit [0352] 77 Upper coupling unit [0353] 78A Front upper coupling and clamping element [0354] 78B Rear upper coupling and clamping element [0355] 79 Pin elements [0356] 80 Pin bearing housing [0357] 81 Coupling or clamping space [0358] 82 Shoulder part section [0359] 84 Receiving gaps [0360] 85 Rib elements [0361] 87 Frame side part plane [0362] 88 Side facing away [0363] 90 Lower coupling unit [0364] 91 Lower coupling unit [0365] 92A Front bottom coupling and clamping element [0366] 92B Rear bottom coupling and clamping element [0367] 93 Other pin bearing housings [0368] 94 Other pin elements [0369] 97 Centering device [0370] 98 Pre-centering means [0371] 99 Left guide element [0372] 100 Right guide element [0373] 101 Centering and guide surfaces [0374] 102 Tapering insertion lane [0375] 105 Main centering means [0376] 106 Roller and sliding elements [0377] 107 Vertical axis elements [0378] 110 Carrier device [0379] 111 Transportable tool package [0380] 112 Mobile change unit [0381] 113 Carrier arm elements [0382] 114 Support arm elements [0383] 115 Insertion and/or removal device or storage or interim storage device [0384] 120 Punching tool setup system [0385] 125 Electrical unit [0386] 126 Pneumatic and/or hydraulic unit [0387] 130 Ram device [0388] 131 U-shaped main body [0389] 132 Cover element [0390] 133 Left lateral end [0391] 134 Right lateral end [0392] 135 Left leg element [0393] 136 Right leg element [0394] 137 Tool receiving space [0395] 138 Bottom side [0396] 139 Guide sleeves [0397] L Longitudinal dimension [0398] H Height dimension [0399] T Depth dimension [0400] B Operator side [0401] R Rear side