Rotating-layering mold and press apparatus comprising rotating-layering mold

Abstract

The present invention provides a rotating-layering mold whereby a punched sheet is rotated according to a prescribed angle and layered by an upper mold and a lower mold working in tandem, and provides a press apparatus comprising the rotating-layering mold. A rotating-layering mold comprises a squeeze ring in which is provided a holding hole for holding a punched sheet, the squeeze ring being capable of rotating with respect to a lower mold so that an upper outer circumferential surface of the squeeze ring lies along an inner circumferential surface of the lower mold. The rotating-layering mold further comprises a first thrust bearing, a second thrust bearing, and a radial bearing in order to support the rotation of the squeeze ring with respect to the lower mold.

Claims

1. A rotating-layering mold of rotating, according to a predetermined angle, plate materials punched by a cooperation of an upper mold and a lower mold so as to laminate the plate materials, wherein the rotating-layering mold comprises a squeeze ring provided with a holding hole of holding the punched plate materials, wherein: the squeeze ring is configured to rotate with respect to the lower mold such that an outer peripheral surface of the squeeze ring lies along an inner peripheral surface of the lower mold; the rotating-layering mold further comprises a first thrust bearing, a second thrust bearing, and a radial bearing in order to support the rotation of the squeeze ring with respect to the lower mold; the rotating-layering mold further comprises a first inner ring portion and a second inner ring portion, and the first thrust bearing, the second thrust bearing, and the radial bearing are arranged between the first inner ring portion and the second inner ring portion; and the first inner ring portion and the second inner ring portion are fastened such that the first thrust bearing and the second thrust bearing are in a preloaded state.

2. The rotating-layering mold according to claim 1, wherein the radial bearing is arranged between the first thrust bearing and the second thrust bearing.

3. The rotating-layering mold according to claim 1, wherein the rotation of the squeeze ring is guided by a guide configured with a second outer ring portion fixed to the lower mold and the lower mold.

4. The rotating-layering mold according to claim 3, wherein in a state where a gap is generated between the guide and the squeeze ring, the first thrust bearing and the second thrust bearing are in the preloaded state.

5. The rotating-layering mold according to claim 1, wherein the first thrust bearing is configured with a first outer ring portion fixed to the lower mold, the first inner ring portion, and rolling elements, the second thrust bearing is configured with the first outer ring portion, the second inner ring portion, and rolling elements, and the radial bearing is configured with the first outer ring portion, the first inner ring portion or the second inner ring portion, and rolling elements.

6. The rotating-layering mold according to claim 5, wherein the rolling elements of the first thrust bearing, the rolling elements of the second thrust bearing, and the rolling elements of the radial bearing are arranged radially inward with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the squeeze ring.

7. The rotating-layering mold according to claim 1, further comprising a driven pulley fixed to the squeeze ring.

8. A press apparatus comprising the rotating-layering mold according to claim 7, wherein the press apparatus comprises: a drive unit comprising a motor having an output shaft to rotate; a drive pulley fixed to the output shaft; and a transmission member of transmitting the rotation of the drive pulley based on the rotation of the output shaft to the driven pulley and rotating the squeeze ring according to the predetermined angle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a press apparatus including a rotating-layering mold and a drive unit as an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the front.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the relation between the rotating-layering mold and the drive unit shown in FIG. 1 as seen from the upper.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating-layering mold shown in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the rotating-layering mold shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(5) Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to those embodiments.

(6) An embodiment of a rotating-layering mold and a press apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a press apparatus 101 including a rotating-layering mold 201 and a drive unit 301 as an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the front. The press apparatus 101 includes a slide member 103 that is slidable in the vertical direction with respect to a main body frame of the press apparatus 101, an upper mold guide member 104 that is installed on the main body frame and slidably guides the slide member 103, an upper mold 102 installed on a lower surface of the slide member 103, and a lower mold 105 fixed to a housing 106 installed on the main body frame. In the press apparatus 101, a rolled steel plate 115 as a plate material is supplied between the upper mold 102 and the lower mold 105, and the slide member 103 slides downward via the upper mold guide member 104. The supplied rolled steel sheets 115 are punched by a contour punch of the upper mold 102 and a contour punching die of the lower mold 105 corresponding to this contour punch of the upper mold 102.

(8) When the rolled steel sheets 115 are punched and the slide member 103 slides in the upward direction, the contour punch of the upper mold 102 is drawn from the contour punching die of the lower mold 105, and the punched rolled steel sheets 115 are then dropped into a holding hole 203 provided in the squeeze ring 202 fixed to the contour punching die and are held by a frictional force. Subsequently, the squeeze ring 202 rotates such that the punched rolled steel sheets 115 held in the holding hole 203 are also rotated according to a predetermined angle. By repeating punching and rotating in this manner to sequentially laminate the punched rolled steel sheets 115, a laminated body 116 having no inclined shape for use in a motor core such as a rotor and a stator that configure a motor, or the like can be formed. In addition, the angle to rotate the rolled steel sheets 115 is not limited. However, for example, the rolled steel sheets 115 may be rotated according to the predetermined value such as 45?, 60?, 72?, 90?, 120?, or the like that can be divided by dividing 360? by an integer so as to sequentially laminate them. Alternatively, the rolled steel sheets 115 may be rotated according to the predetermined value such as 45?+1?, 60?+2?, or the like that is obtained by adding a minute angle to an angle that can be divided by dividing 360? by an integer so as to sequentially laminate them in a spiral shape having a skew.

(9) FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the rotating-layering mold 201 of rotating the rolled steel sheets 115 punched by the cooperation of the upper mold 102 and the lower mold 105 according to the predetermined angle so as to laminate them. The rotating-layering mold 201 includes the squeeze ring 202 that can be accommodated within a cylindrical hole provided in the lower mold 105. The squeeze ring 202 can rotate with respect to the lower mold 105 such that an upper outer peripheral surface 211 of the squeeze ring 202 lies along an inner peripheral surface 109 of the hole of the lower mold 105. The rotating-layering 201 further includes a first thrust bearing (an upper thrust bearing), a second thrust bearing (a lower thrust bearing), and a radial bearing in order to support the rotation of the squeeze ring 202 with respect to the lower mold 105. The squeeze ring 202 can be supported by the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing so as not to be affected by a thrust load with respect to the vertical direction of up and down and can be further supported by the radial bearing so as not to be affected by a radial load with respect to the horizontal direction. A position of the radial bearing with respect to the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing is not particularly limited. However, when the radial bearing is arranged between the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing, it is possible to compactly configure the rotating-layering mold 201 and reduce the cost.

(10) The rotating-layering mold 201 includes a first inner ring portion (an upper inner ring portion) 204 and a second inner ring portion (a lower inner ring portion) 205 fixed to the squeeze ring 202. The upper thrust bearing, the lower thrust bearing, and the radial bearing may be arranged between the upper inner ring portion 204 and the lower inner ring portion 205. In addition, although the upper inner ring portion 204 and the lower inner ring portion 205 are separate components from the squeeze ring 202 in FIG. 3, the upper inner ring portion 204 or the lower inner ring portion 205 may be configured to be integrated with the squeeze ring 202.

(11) The upper inner ring portion 204 and the lower inner ring portion 205 are fastened such that the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing are in a preloaded state. If there is an internal clearance in the bearing, the rigidity of the bearing becomes low such that the rotation vibration of the squeeze ring 202 becomes large, and the axis of the squeeze ring 202 tends to tilt. Therefore, a load is applied in the thrust direction in advance so as to eliminate the internal clearance such that preload is applied to the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing. By applying the preload, it is possible to reduce the vibration and improve the acoustic performance. When the press apparatus 101 is operating, that is, when the squeeze ring 202 rotates with respect to the lower mold 105, the slide member 103 slides in the downward direction such that the rolled steel sheets 115 are punched by the contour punch of the upper mold 102 and the contour punching die of the lower mold 105, the slide member 103 slides in the upward direction such that the contour punch of the upper mold 102 is pulled out from the contour punching die of the lower mold 105, and the squeeze ring 202 then rotates with respect to the lower mold 105 again, it is desirable that the upper inner ring portion 204 and the lower inner ring portion 205 be fastened such that the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing are in the preloaded state. Since the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing are in the preloaded state, the squeeze ring 202 can be reliably supported by the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing so as to rotate without being affected by the thrust load with respect to the vertical direction of up and down, and the rotation accuracy of the squeeze ring 202 can be thus improved. In addition, although the upper inner ring portion 204 and the lower inner ring portion 205 may be fastened by an inner ring portion screw 210, a fastening means is not limited. The magnitude of the preload can be adjusted by the fastening means.

(12) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper thrust bearing may be configured with a first outer ring portion (a lower outer ring portion) 108 fixed to the lower mold 105 via the housing 106 by a lower outer ring portion screw 118, the upper inner ring portion 204, and rolling elements 207, each rotating about the axis in the horizontal direction, the lower thrust bearing may be configured with the lower outer ring portion 108, the lower inner ring portion 205, and rolling elements 208, each rotating about the axis in the horizontal direction, and the radial bearing may be configured with the lower outer ring portion 108, the lower inner ring portion 205, and rolling elements 209, each rotating about the axis in the vertical direction. By managing dimension such that the length of a space 216 between the upper inner ring portion 204 and the lower inner ring portion 205 for configuring the upper thrust bearing, the lower thrust bearing, and the radial bearing is smaller than the total length of the outer diameter of the rolling element 207, the thickness of the lower outer ring portion 108, and the outer diameter of the rolling element 208, when the upper inner ring portion 204 and the lower inner ring portion 205 are fastened, the internal clearance disappears such that the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing can be in the preloaded state. Then, although the rotating-layering mold 201 moves relatively with respect to the lower mold 105 when the press apparatus 101 is operating, by managing dimension such that a difference between the total length of the outer diameter of the rolling element 207, the thickness of the lower outer ring portion 108, and the outer diameter of the rolling element 208 and the length of the space 216 is larger than a relative movement amount of the rotating-layering mold 201, the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing can be in the preloaded state more reliably. In addition, although the lower outer ring portion 108 is fixed to the housing 106 as a component separate from the housing 106 in FIG. 3, it may be configured to be integrated with the housing 106. Moreover, a second outer ring portion (an upper outer ring portion) 107 is fixed to the lower mold 105 via the housing 106 by an upper outer ring portion screw 117. However, the upper outer ring portion 107 may be also configured to be integrated with the housing 106.

(13) The rotation of the squeeze ring 202 may be guided by a guide 111 configured with the lower mold 105, the housing 106, and the upper outer ring portion 107 fixed to the lower mold 105 via the housing 106. The squeeze ring 202 includes a guide receiving portion 213, and the guide receiving portion 213 is accommodated in the guide 111 to guide the rotation of the squeeze ring 202 with respect to the lower mold 105. A gap may be provided between a lower surface 110 of the lower mold 105 and an upper surface 214 of the guide receiving portion 213 such that the lower mold 105 and the guide receiving portion 213 do not come into contact with each other. Moreover, a gap may be provided between an upper surface 112 of the upper outer ring portion 107 and a lower surface 215 of the guide receiving portion 213 such that the upper outer ring portion 107 and the guide receiving portion 213 do not come into contact with each other.

(14) Moreover, in a state where a gap is generated between the guide 111 and the squeeze ring 202, that is, a gap is generated between the lower surface 110 of the lower mold 105 and the upper surface 214 of the guide receiving portion 213, and a gap is generated between the upper surface 112 of the upper outer ring portion 107 and the lower surface 215 of the guide receiving portion 213, it is desirable that the first thrust bearing and the second thrust bearing be in the preloaded state. If these gaps do not exist, that is, if the guide receiving portion 213 contacts the lower mold 105 and the upper outer ring portion 107, the squeeze ring 202 can be prevented from moving relatively upward and downward with respect to the lower mold 105, and the upper thrust bearing and the lower thrust bearing can be in the preloaded state, when the press apparats 101 is operating. However, it is not preferable since the guide receiving portion 213, the lower mold 105, and the upper outer ring portion 107 are worn.

(15) The rolling elements 207 of the upper thrust bearing, the rolling elements 208 of the lower thrust bearing, and the rolling elements 209 of the radial bearing may be arranged radially inward with respect to the upper outer peripheral surface 211 of the squeeze ring 202 that lies along the inner peripheral surface 109 of the lower mold 105. When the press apparatus 101 is operating, the squeeze ring 202 moves relatively upward and downward with respect to the lower mold 105. However, when any portion of the rolling elements 207 to 209 is radially outward with respect to the upper outer peripheral surface 211, since the thrust load applied to the rolling elements 207 to 209 changes with the upper outer peripheral surface 211 as a boundary, the rolling elements 207 to 209 may be damaged, and raceways of the rolling elements 207 to 209 of the lower outer ring portion 108, the upper inner ring portion 204, and the lower inner ring portion 205 may be damaged. When the rolling elements 207 to 209 are arranged radially inward with respect to the upper outer peripheral surface 211, since the thrust loads applied to the rolling elements 207 to 209 are the same, it is possible to prevent the rolling elements 207 to 209 from being damaged and prevent the raceways of the rolling elements 207 to 209 from being damaged.

(16) As shown in FIG. 3, the rotating-layering mold 201 may include a driven pulley 206 fixed to a lower outer peripheral surface 212 of the squeeze ring 202. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the press apparatus 101 including the rotating-layering mold 201 may include the drive unit 301 including a motor 302 having an output shaft 304 to rotate which are fixed to a fixed surface 114 which is a side surface of the main body frame of the press apparatus 101, a drive pulley 303 fixed to the output shaft 304, and a transmission member 113 of transmitting the rotation of the drive pulley 303 based on the rotation of the output shaft 304 to the driven pulley 206 to rotate the squeeze ring 202 according to the predetermined angle. The output shaft 304 of the motor 302 of the drive unit 301 rotates according to a predetermined angle, and the rotation is transmitted to the squeeze ring 202 via the drive pulley 303, the transmission member 113, and the driven pulley 206 such that the squeeze ring 202 can be supported by the upper thrust bearing, the lower thrust bearing, and the radial bearing so as to rotate, according to the predetermined angle, with respect to the lower mold 105. In addition, the driven pulley 206 and the drive pulley 303 may be timing pulleys. Moreover, the transmission member 113 may be a timing belt as long as it can transmit the rotation.

(17) As shown in FIG. 2, when the transmission member 113 is, for example, a timing belt, the radial load is generated in the horizontal direction by the tension of the timing belt of coupling the driven pulley 206 and the drive pulley 303, and in particular, when the squeeze ring 202 is rotated at high speed, the tension of the timing belt is increased such that more radial load is generated in the horizontal direction. As shown in FIG. 3, by configuring the radial bearing with the lower outer ring portion 108, the lower inner ring portion 205, and the rolling elements 209, since the squeeze ring 202 is not affected by the radial load due to the tension of the timing belt, and the posture of the squeeze ring 202 is not inclined in the direction of the tension, it is possible to improve the rotation accuracy of the squeeze ring 202 and improve the manufacturing accuracy for the motor cores. In addition, the radial bearing may be configured with the upper inner ring portion 204 instead of the lower inner ring portion 205, and the upper inner ring portion 204 or the lower inner ring portion 205 may be configured to be integrated with the squeeze ring 202.

(18) Moreover, the drive unit 301 may include a rotation angle sensor clamped to the output shaft 304 such that a rotation angle of the output shaft 304 can be detected. Examples of the rotation angle sensor include, for example, a magnetic resolver and an optical encoder. The drive unit 301 may include a control apparatus that receives a signal regarding the rotation angle of the output shaft 304 detected by the rotation angle sensor. The control apparatus can determine whether or not the detected rotation angle of the output shaft 304 corresponds to a predetermined rotation angle to index with accuracy the rotation angle of the squeeze ring 202 that rotates via the transmission member 113.

(19) It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principle of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims.