METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DIVIDING PANEL-SHAPED WORKPIECES

Abstract

A method for dividing panel-shaped workpieces, which comprise wood or a wood substitute substance as a material, into in each case a plurality of smaller workpieces. A panel-shaped workpiece that is to be divided is initially divided by saw cuts into a plurality of rectangular strip-shaped workpieces with a first pair of opposing narrow sides and a second pair of opposing narrow sides, the first narrow sides being longer than the second narrow sides. In a further method step, the strip-shaped workpieces are divided by a plurality of milling tools simultaneously with cuts parallel to the second narrow sides into the smaller workpieces.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. A method for dividing planar workpieces (2), which workpieces comprise wood or a wood substitute material as the material, into a plurality of smaller workpieces (10) in each case, a planar workpiece (2) to be divided first being cut, by means of saw cuts (11), into a plurality of rectangular, strip-shaped workpieces (3) each comprising a first pair of opposing narrow sides (5) and a second pair of opposing narrow sides (6), the first narrow sides (5) being longer than the second narrow sides (5), the strip-shaped workpieces (3) being divided simultaneously, in a further method step, into the smaller workpieces (10), by means of cuts in parallel with the second narrow sides (6), using a plurality of milling tools (9), wherein, after the division of the planar workpiece (2), the strip-shaped workpieces (3) are first conveyed, preferably in a direction that is at least substantially in parallel with the second narrow sides (6), into an intermediate storage means (7) for intermediate storage of the strip-shaped workpieces (3), while at the same time strip-shaped workpieces (3) are conveyed, preferably in a direction that is at least substantially in parallel with the second narrow sides (6), out of the intermediate storage means (7) and fed to the process of division by the milling tools (9).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, when dividing the planar workpiece (2), a saw cut (16), which ends in the workpiece, preferably in a region of the workpiece that is subsequently to be machined during division of the strip-shaped workpiece (3) by a milling tool (9), is performed between two saw cuts (17), proceeding from one of the second narrow sides (6) of a strip-shaped workpiece (3) resulting from the division of the planar workpiece (2), in particular a cut performed when dividing the strip-shaped workpiece (3) by means of a milling tool (9) connecting the saw cut (16) with one or both of the first narrow sides (5).

13. A device (1) for dividing planar workpieces (2), which workpieces comprise wood or a wood substitute material as the material, into a plurality of smaller workpieces (10) in each case, in particular according to a method of the preceding claims, said device comprising a sawing apparatus (4) for dividing the planar workpieces (2) into a plurality of strip-shaped workpieces (3) in each case by means of saw cuts (11) in a first direction (X), the device comprising a milling apparatus (8) comprising a plurality of milling tools (9) for dividing the strip-shaped workpieces (3) into the smaller workpieces (10) by means of a plurality of cuts (12) that are made simultaneously, in particular in parallel with a second direction (Y) that is at least substantially perpendicular to the first direction (X), wherein, the device (1) preferably comprises an intermediate storage means (7) which is arranged in the second direction (Y), between the sawing apparatus (4) and the milling apparatus (8), and is intended for intermediate storage of the strip-shaped workpieces (3), in particular the intermediate storage means (7) being designed in accordance with the FIFO principle, the milling apparatus (8) being arranged so as to be spatially separated from the sawing apparatus (4).

14. The device (1) according to claim 13, wherein, the device comprises a supply means (21) for supplying the workpieces to the sawing apparatus (4), in particular the supply means (21) comprising a pivot means for pivoting the planar workpieces (2) about a vertical axis and/or about an axis that is at least substantially in parallel with the thickness direction of the planar workpiece (2).

15. The device (1) according to either claim 13, wherein, the device comprises a feed means (13) for generating the feed movement of the strip-shaped workpieces (3), in particular in second direction (4) that is at least substantially at right angles to the first direction (X), during the division of said workpieces by the milling tools (9).

16. The device (1) according to claim 15, wherein, the feed means (13) comprises a plurality of gripping elements (17), which elements can in particular be positioned along the feed means (13), preferably in a direction in parallel with the first direction (X), for gripping a conveyed strip-shaped workpiece (3), in particular in the region of the narrow side of the strip-shaped workpiece (3) that is directed counter to the conveying direction.

17. The device (1) according to claim 16, wherein, in order to grip the conveyed workpiece, at least one, preferably a plurality of, gripping element(s) (17) of the feed means (13) comprises a first clamping region (18) for resting on a first flat side of the strip-shaped workpiece (3) and a second clamping region (19) for resting on a second flat side of the conveyed strip-shaped workpiece (3) that is opposite the first flat side, the first clamping region (18) and/or the second clamping region (19) comprising a recess (20) in which a milling tool can be moved, relative to the gripping element (17), when dividing a strip-shaped workpiece (3) into the smaller workpieces (10).

18. The device (1) according to claim 13, wherein, the milling tools (9) are displaceable along the milling apparatus (8), in particular in a direction that is at least substantially in parallel with the first direction (X).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention will be explained schematically in greater detail in the following, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a method according to the invention, given by way of example.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a highly simplified schematic view of a device according to the invention.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a detailed drawing of a device according to the invention, given by way of example.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a cutting plan, by way of example, that can be achieved using a device according to the invention or a method according to the invention.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a detailed drawing of a gripping means of a device according to the invention, given by way of example.

[0039] FIGS. 6 and 7 schematically show the operating principle of the gripping means shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] The device 1 according to the invention, given by way of example, comprises a sawing apparatus 4 for dividing the planar workpieces 2, to be divided, into the strip-shaped workpieces 3. In the example shown, the sawing apparatus 4 divides the planar workpieces 2 in a first direction X, such that strip-shaped workpieces 3 comprising a first pair of longer narrow sides 5 and a pair of shorter narrow sides 6 result. In the example shown, the long narrow sides 5 are advantageously oriented in the first direction X and advantageously retain this orientation in the further course of the method.

[0041] The workpieces are first conveyed from the sawing apparatus 4 into an intermediate storage means 7. In the example shown, this is advantageously designed in accordance with the FIFO principle, i.e. the strip-shaped workpieces 3 that are first to reach the intermediate storage means 7 are also the first to leave the intermediate storage means 7 when supplied to the process of division by the milling apparatus 8. In the milling apparatus 8, the strip-shaped workpieces 3 are divided into the smaller workpieces 10 using a plurality of milling tools 9.

[0042] In this case, the device 1 according to the invention is advantageously designed so as to perform the saw cuts 11 in a first direction X. The cuts 12 using the milling tools, which cuts are oriented so as to be perpendicular to the saw cuts, are correspondingly performed in parallel with a second direction Y that is perpendicular to the first direction X. For this purpose, the strip-shaped workpieces 3 are moved in the second direction Y using a feed means 13. The device according to the invention, given by way of example, additionally comprises a milling tool 14 that is preferably immovable in the first direction X. The further milling tools 9 are advantageously received on the milling apparatus 8 so as to be movable in the first direction X. This allows for cuts 15 by the milling tools 9 that preferably extend in parallel with the saw cuts 11.

[0043] The milling tool 14 is used to ensure a clean workpiece edge by means of material removal at an edge region of the strip-shaped workpieces 3 that also corresponds to an edge region of the original planar workpiece 2. Accordingly, the method according to the invention can advantageously provide for narrow strips to be separated, at the edge regions of the planar workpiece 2, by means of saw cuts 11, which narrow strips constitute waste, in order to ensure clean edge regions of the resulting smaller workpieces 10 here too. This is advantageous in particular if the edge regions of the planar workpieces 2 are not of the necessary quality that is required of the edge regions of the smaller workpieces 10.

[0044] The sawing apparatus can also perform saw cuts 16 that end in the workpiece 4. As a result, processing time can advantageously be saved when implementing complex cutting plans. A complex cutting plan of this kind, given by way of example, is shown in FIG. 4. When implementing said cutting plan on a device 1 according to the invention, strip-shaped workpieces 3 are first separated from a planar workpiece 2 by means of the saw cuts 11a, 11b and 11c. In this case, the sawing apparatus 4 performs additional saw cuts 16 that end in the workpiece. When dividing the resulting strip-shaped workpieces 3 by means of cuts using the milling tool 9, the ends of the saw cuts 16 are connected to the narrow sides of the strip-shaped workpieces. In FIG. 4, the cuts 12 by the milling tools 9 and the saw cuts 16 that extend through regions of the workpiece and that constitute waste at a later time, are shown by dashed lines.

[0045] In the example shown, the device 1 according to the invention advantageously comprises a supply means 21 comprising a pivot means that is not shown in greater detail. The planar workpieces 2 can be pivoted thereby, about an axis in parallel with the thickness direction of said workpieces, prior to being supplied to the sawing apparatus 4. For the purpose of clarification, FIG. 3 shows the planar workpiece 2 by way of example in two possible, mutually perpendicular, orientations. In this way, in the cutting plan by way of example that is shown in FIG. 4, after the saw cuts 11a, 11b and 11c have been performed, the saw cuts 11d, 11e, 11f and 11g can be made, by means of the planar workpiece being pivoted about 90 after the saw cut 11c has been performed and before the further saw cuts are performed.

[0046] In the cutting plan given by way of example, the strip-shaped workpiece located between the saw cuts 11d and 11e comprises cuts 15 that extend in parallel with the saw cuts 11 but are made by the milling tools 9. This is advantageously achieved by means of the milling tools 9 being moved along the milling apparatus 8, preferably in parallel with the first direction X. The waste can be reduced yet further thereby.

[0047] It is particularly advantageous, in connection with the device 1 according to the invention, given by way of example, for the feed means 13 to comprise a plurality of gripping elements 17. The gripping elements 17 can preferably be positioned along the feed means 13. In this case, the direction in which the gripping elements 17 can be positioned along the feed means 13 is preferably oriented so as to be in parallel with the first direction X. In this case, the gripping elements 17 are designed such that they can preferably grip a strip-shaped workpiece 3 in the region of the narrow side of the strip-shaped workpiece 3 that is directed counter to the conveying direction. This is preferably one of the long narrow sides 5 of the strip-shaped workpiece 3.

[0048] The gripping elements 17 preferably comprise a first clamping region 18 and a second clamping region 19 for resting on one of the flat sides, respectively, of the strip-shaped workpiece 3.

[0049] Particularly preferably, the first clamping region 18 and/or the second clamping region 19 comprise a recess 20 in which a milling tool 9 can be moved when dividing a strip-shaped workpiece 3. This procedure is shown schematically in particular in FIGS. 6 and 7. The advantageous embodiment shown, comprising the recesses 20 in the clamping regions, makes it possible for the clamping regions to clamp the workpiece on both sides of the milling tool 9 emerging from the cut. As a result, the number of gripping elements 17 required is reduced, and the two sides of the cut are fixed in position, relative to one another, in an extremely rigid manner by means of the common clamping region 18 and 19, such that particularly clean cuts result. In this case, the recess 20 virtually divides the surfaces of the first clamping region 18 and/or second clamping region 19, adjacent to the strip-shaped workpiece 3, into two surfaces which together fix the strip-shaped workpiece 3 prior to the strip-shaped workpiece 3 being cut through finally, and each fix one of the resulting adjacent smaller workpieces 10, respectively, after the strip-shaped workpiece 3 has been cut through.