Abstract
A clamping system for a press brake or folding press includes a beam for holding one or more tools. The clamping system includes a first and a second transducer, each capable of transducing electrical energy to light and vice versa. The first and second transducers each are configured to transmit light towards, and to receive light from, the one or more tools held by the beam. An assembly of such a clamping system and a tool including a marking being configured to reflect light received from the first and second transducers, and to such a tool.
Claims
1-26. (canceled)
27. A clamping system for a press brake or folding press, the clamping system comprising: a beam for holding one or more tools, and a first transducer and a second transducer, each of the first and second transducers being capable of transducing electrical energy to light and vice versa, the first and second transducers further each being configured to transmit light towards, and to receive light from, the one or more tools held by the beam.
28. The clamping system according to claim 27, wherein the at least two transducers are LED's.
29. The clamping system according to claim 27, further comprising a controller for controlling the first and second transducer.
30. The clamping system according to claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to send an electrical signal to the first transducer while receiving an electrical signal from the second transducer during at least a first interval.
31. The clamping system according to claim 30, wherein the controller is further configured to receive an electrical signal from the first transducer while sending an electrical signal to the second transducer during a second, different interval.
32. The clamping system according to claim 29, comprising a plurality of first transducers, wherein the controller is configured to: send an electrical signal to the plurality of first transducers while receiving an electrical signal from the second transducer during at least another, third interval, and/or send an electrical signal to the second transducer while receiving an electrical signal from the plurality of first transducers during at least another fourth interval.
33. The clamping system according to claim 32, further comprising a plurality of second transducers, wherein the controller is configured to: send an electrical signal to the plurality of first transducers while receiving an electrical signal from the plurality of second transducers during at least another, fifth interval.
34. The clamping system according to claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to send an electrical signal to at least one of the first and the second transducer, and at the same time receive an electrical signal from the same at least one of the first and the second transducer, wherein optionally, the clamping system comprising a plurality of transducers, wherein the controller is configured to: alternatingly select different ones of the plurality of transducers as first or second transducers.
35. The clamping system according to claim 29, wherein: the controller is configured to control the first and/or the second transducer to transmit light at different intensity levels and/or the controller is configured to determine a characteristic of an electric signal received from the first and/or the second transducer, the characteristic being for instance a power, a frequency, a voltage or a current level.
36. The clamping system according to claim 27, wherein the first and second transducers are configured for transmitting light at mutually differing wavelengths.
37. The clamping system according to claim 27, wherein the beam comprises a longitudinal receiving space for receiving at least a part of the one or more tools when held by the beam, wherein the first and second transducers are arranged in the receiving space, and wherein optionally the transducers are arranged at a side or a blind end of the receiving space as seen in cross section thereof.
38. The clamping system according to claim 27, further comprising a plurality of first transducers and a plurality of second transducers, wherein the first and second transducers are arranged in a matrix.
39. An assembly of a clamping system according to claim 27 and a tool, wherein the tool comprises a marking having encoded therein at least an identification number.
40. The assembly according to claim 39, wherein the marking has features of a characteristic dimension similar to or larger than a dimension of the first and/or second transducer.
41. The assembly according to claim 39, wherein the marking comprises features distinguishable by a surface characteristic, optionally being colour, roughness or reflectance.
42. The assembly according to claim 41, wherein: the surface characteristic is continuously variable, and optionally the encoding is analogue; or the identification number of the marking is encoded in a discrete code.
43. The assembly according to claim 42, wherein the code is of a higher ordinal than two or a code of a higher ordinal.
44. A tool for use in a press brake or folding press, the tool comprising a marking having encoded therein at least an identification number, the marking being configured to reflect light received from the first and second transducers.
45. The tool according to claim 44, wherein the marking comprises features distinguishable by a surface characteristic, optionally being colour, roughness or reflectance.
46. The tool according to claim 45, wherein the surface characteristic is continuously variable, and optionally the encoding is analogue; or the identification number of the marking is encoded in a discrete code, wherein optionally the code is of a higher ordinal than two or a code of a higher ordinal.
Description
[0066] The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the drawings, in which corresponding elements have reference numerals increased by 100, and in which:
[0067] FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically show a side and a front view respectively of a press brake;
[0068] FIG. 2A schematically shows a perspective view of a clamping system with a tool partially received therein, tilted to show its top surface;
[0069] FIG. 2B schematically shows a cross section of the clamping system of FIG. 2A with its tool, now inserted into the clamping system;
[0070] FIGS. 3-8 and 15A-15B schematically show cross sections of variations of the clamping system;
[0071] FIGS. 9A and 9B schematically show two transducers and a tool in cross section;
[0072] FIGS. 10A and 10B schematically show a marking that can be arranged on a tool;
[0073] FIGS. 11A and 11B schematically show arrays of transducers; and
[0074] FIGS. 12A-14B schematically show different ways of operating the transducers.
[0075] Throughout the figures, like elements are referred to using like reference numerals. Like reference numerals of different embodiments are increased by one hundred (100).
[0076] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a press brake 1 placed on a ground surface G. The press brake 1 includes a top beam 2 and a bottom beam 3. The top beam 2 is provided with a top clamping system 4. The top clamping system 4 releasably holds a top tool 5. The bottom beam 3 is provided with a bottom clamping system 6, which releasably holds a bottom tool 7. The top and bottom clamping systems 4, 6 each extend over substantially the entire width W of the press brake 1. The top and bottom tools 5, 7 are shown to extend over only part of the width W. Consequently, they may be moved to different positions in longitudinal direction L of the top and bottom clamping systems 4, 6. Multiple tools may be arranged end-to-end in order to provide a greater working width. Alternatively, different tools may be placed at various positions to allow multiple bending or folding operations to be performed without exchanging tools in between operations.
[0077] The top beam 2 and the bottom beam 3 are moveable towards and away from each other in the direction of arrow M by means of hydraulic systems 8, although another type of drive system could be used. To this end one of the beams 2, 3 may be movable while the other beam may be stationary, or both beams 2, 3 may be movable. Accordingly, the top and bottom tools 5, 7 are also moveable towards and away from each other. To bend sheet metal, the sheet is inserted between the tools 5, 7 which are then moved towards each other. The top tool 5 then forces the sheet metal into the bottom tool 7 in order to deform the sheet metal by bending. After bending, the tools 5, 7 are moved away from each other by moving the top beam 2 via the hydraulic systems 8. The clamping systems 4, 6 are releasably attached to the top and bottom beam 2, 3 respectively via a suitable locking system. Accordingly, the clamping systems 4, 6 can be exchanged for clamping systems suitable for other tools, or the clamping systems 4, 6 can be taken out for servicing them.
[0078] Although not shown, the features described below in relation to the exchangeable clamping systems 4, 6 can also be applied to other types of clamping systems 4, 6, e.g. of the integral or adaptor type.
[0079] FIGS. 2A and 2B show a clamping system 104 for a press brake 1. The clamping system comprises a beam 111 for holding tools 105. The beam 111 comprises a longitudinal receiving space 109 embodied as a slot parallel to the length of the beam 111. The tool 105 is held by the clamping system 104 by placing an adaption 112 thereof in the receiving space 109, and consecutively clamping the adaption 112 of the tool 105 at recesses 110 provided for that purpose. The illustrated adaption 112 with its recesses 110 forms part of a so-called New Standard style clamping system. Other clamping systems and techniques for holding tools exist, like e.g. American style and European style. The current disclosure is not limited to the exemplary clamping system described with reference to the figures, but may be more universally used in other clamping systems.
[0080] The clamping system 104 further comprises a circuit board 113 with an array of transducers 114 arranged thereon, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 9-14B. The transducers 114 are used to localize and identify the tool 105. For this purpose, the circuit board 113 of FIGS. 2A and 2B is arranged in the receiving space 109. In particular, the circuit board 113 is arranged at the blind end of the receiving space 113, in a recess 123 allowing a surface of the circuit board 113 to lie flush with the blind end of the receiving space. The tool 105 is provided with a marking 115 comprising surface features 116. When the tool 105 is placed in the receiving space 109, the marking 115 faces the circuit board 113, so that the transducers 114 are near the marking 115. The circuit board 113 extends along the longitudinal direction of the beam 111. Accordingly, the tool 105 can be sensed using the transducers 114 regardless of its position in the beam 111. It is noted that for the sake of clarity, not all transducers 114 and surface features 116 have been provided with their own reference numeral. Although not shown here, the circuit board 113 with its transducers 114 may be protected by a transparent cover at least partially closing off the recess 123.
[0081] Variations as to the position of the transducers 114 are possible. As a non exhaustive list of examples, reference is made to FIGS. 3-8 and FIGS. 15A-15B. FIGS. 3 and 4 each show a clamping system 204, 304 for a top beam 202, 302 (not shown), each having a corresponding receiving space 209, 309 (substantially taken up by the tool 205, 305). The transducers 214, 314 (not visible) are provided on circuit boards 213, 313, which in the illustrated embodiments are arranged in recesses 223, 323 in sidewalls of the corresponding receiving spaces 209, 309. As such, the transducers 214, 314 face a side of the tool 205, 305 when it is placed in the receiving space 209, 309.
[0082] Further, FIGS. 5-8 show clamping systems 406, 506, 606, 706 for bottom beams 419, 519, 619, 719. The clamping systems 406, 506, 606, 706 comprise corresponding receiving spaces 409, 509, 609, 709, for receiving an adaption 412, 512, 612, 712 of a tool 407, 507, 607, 707. Although it is possible to clamp the tool 407, 507, 607, 707 in the receiving space 409, 509, 609, 709, it is envisioned the tool 407, 507, 607, 707 is configured to rest with shoulders 417, 517, 617, 717 on a top surface 418, 518, 618, 718 of the bottom beam 419, 519, 619, 719. FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show that the circuit board 413, 513, 613 carrying the transducers may be arranged in the receiving space 409, 509, 609, for instance in a sidewall thereof (FIGS. 5 and 7) or in a blind end thereof (FIG. 6). As an alternative, which is shown in FIG. 8, the transducers may also be arranged on a circuit board 713 on the top surface 718 of the bottom beam 719, so that a shoulder 717 of a tool 707 comes to lie over the circuit board 713 when the tool 707 is held by the clamping system 706. In each of these embodiments the circuit board 413, 513, 613, 713 is shown to be arranged in a recess 423, 523, 623, 723, although that is not strictly necessary for the circuit board 513 in the embodiment of FIG. 6, which might simply be mounted at the bottom of the receiving space 509.
[0083] FIGS. 15A and 15B show clamping systems 804 in top beams 811 for holding shoulder bearing tools 805. Tools 805 of this kind comprise shoulders 817 which support against surfaces 818 of the beam 811. As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B respectively, the circuit board 813 may be arranged in such a surface 818 of the beam 811 on the front and back side of the beam 811. Accordingly, the marking 815 on the tool is provided on the shoulder 817 of the tool 805 corresponding to said surface 818.
[0084] As can be deduced from the figures discussed above, the transducers 14, 114, etc. can be placed anywhere on or in the clamping system 4, 6, 104, 106, etc. that allows the transducers 14, 114 etc. to see the tool 5, 7, 105, 107, etc. when it is held by the clamping systems 4, 6, 104, 106, etc. The marking 15, 115, etc. can be arranged on a corresponding part of the tool 5, 7, 105, 107, etc.
[0085] It is noted that transducers 14, 114, etc. need not necessarily be placed on a circuit board 13, 113, etc.
[0086] The functioning of the transducers 14 is explained with reference to FIGS. 9A, 9B and further. The features described herein can be applied to any clamping system 4, 6. For the sake of brevity, only the reference numerals of the first embodiment are used for these and the following figures.
[0087] The transducers 14 comprise a first transducer 20 and a second transducer 21, arranged together on a circuit board 13. Although only two transducers 14 are shown as an example here, more transducers 14 may be employed. The transducers 14 are arranged on the clamping system 4 so that they will align with a marking 15 provided on a tool 5 when the tool 5 is held by the clamping system 4. In FIGS. 9A and 9B, two variations of the adaptation 12 of the tool 5 are shown as I and II on either side of a dotted line S. The left-hand variation I comprises a recess 90 machined in the surface of the adaptation 12 to provide a flat surface. The marking 15 (shown herein as a dotted line) is provided in this recess 90 on the flat surface thereof. In the right-hand variation II, the marking 15 is provided directly on the surface of the adaptation 12. As such, it is clear the marking 15 may be provided directly on the tool 5 without additional machining steps, or such steps may be used if desired. In this example, the transducers are LED's that produce light of a visible red color. The clamping system 4 also comprises a controller 22, which is connected to the circuit board 13 in order to control the transducers 20, 21. At a first point in time, shown in FIG. 9A, the first transducer 20 can be turned on the by the controller 22, in order to shine light (dashed arrow) onto the tool 5 at the location of the marking 15. The marking 15 reflects the light (dashed arrow) back, onto the second transducer 21. The controller 22 is configured to measure a signal generated by the second transducer 21 in response to the received light (dashed arrow). In particular, the controller operates by measuring a voltage across a resistance fed by a current produced by the second transducer 21. As the measured voltage corresponds to the reflected light, which is affected by the marking 15, information on the marking 15 is determined by analysis of the measured voltage. At another point in time, shown in FIG. 9B, the same system can be used another way. In particular, the second transducer 21 may be turned on the shine light (dashed arrow) onto the marking 15. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B together, the function of the transducers can be changed from emitter to receiver. Other functionalities of the transducers will be described below.
[0088] First however, reference is made to FIGS. 10A and 10B which respectively show markings 15-1 and 15-2. Each marking of FIGS. 10A and 10B corresponds to only a part of a complete marking 15. Accordingly, break lines are used to indicate the marking may continue in the left and right direction of FIGS. 10A and 10B. Thus, a complete marking 15 may have a generally longitudinal shape, which may extend over the tool in the length direction of the beam in which it is to be clamped. The marking 15-1 of FIG. 10A comprises, as an example, twenty features 16. In practice, a marking 15 may have many more features 16. The features 16 are shown to differ mutually by providing them with a different line pattern. In practice, the features 16 can be made distinguishable by locally changing a surface characteristic of the tool. For example, the features may comprise a distinct surface roughness levels. In FIG. 10A, six different line patterns are shown. It is possible to for instance choose six different surface roughness levels. Information can be stored in the marking 15 by setting the particular roughness level of each feature 16. In this example, a discrete encoding of the 6.sup.th order, i.e. having six different possibilities for each feature 16, can be used to encode an identification number uniquely identifying a tool.
[0089] As an alternative, a continuously variable surface characteristic, such as a grey value can be chosen for each feature 16. This is shown in FIG. 10B using features with mutually different amounts of lines. In principle, it is possible to vary the grey value continuously. As such, it is not necessary to use discrete levels for encoding.
[0090] It is noted that other surface characteristics may be used to represent the features 16, and that discrete encoding can be done using any desired order.
[0091] FIGS. 11A and 11B show transducers 14 arranged in matrices on circuit boards 13. Although a relatively small part of a circuit board 13 is shown in the figures, a larger circuit board 13 may be employed as indicated by the break lines. In practice, a circuit board 13 may have many more transducers 14. It is envisioned the circuit board 13 will be longitudinal in shape, so as to be arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction on a beam of a clamping system, as shown in FIG. 2A. The circuit board 13 may be the circuit board of the embodiments described in relation to FIGS. 2A-9B. The matrix of FIG. 11A is right angled, meaning the transducers 14 are substantially aligned in both the direction of the rows R and the columns C. The transducers 14 may however also be aligned in a staggered matrix as shown in FIG. 11B, where each row R is displaced with respect to the previous row R, so that the columns C are slanted. Although twenty transducers 14 are shown here, other amounts of transducers can be used.
[0092] FIGS. 12A-14B show different ways of operating the same transducers 14. First, FIG. 12A shows a single first transducer 21 emitting light, and eight neighboring transducers operating as second transducers 22 receiving light. The controller can thus receive information from second transducers 22 receiving reflected light. As the light was emitted by a single first transducer 21, FIG. 12A represents a one-to-many configuration. FIG. 12B on the other hand shows a many-to-one configuration, with multiple (in this example eight) first transducers 21 emitting light, and a single receiving second transducer 22. Each transducer, even the first transducers 21 emitting light, can be used at the same time as a receiver 22 for receiving reflected light. The reflected light may origin from itself or from another transducer.
[0093] FIG. 13A shows a first situation, wherein a first transducer 21 emits light at a first intensity level. Reflected light is received at multiple, but not all second transducers 22. At another moment in time, shown in FIG. 13B, the first transducer 21 emits light at a higher intensity, so that more light is reflected. Accordingly, more second transducers 22 can be used to receive reflected light.
[0094] FIGS. 14A and 14B respectively show that at different moments in time a different transducer 14 can be used as first transducer 21 or second transducer 22. Thus, depending on the operation mode, a transducer may be controlled to emit light, receive light or both.
[0095] Although the invention has been described hereabove with reference to a number of specific examples and embodiments, the invention is not limited thereto. Instead, the invention also covers the subject matter defined by the annexed claims.
[0096] As an example, clamping systems for press brakes have been shown, but the invention could equally well be applied to folding presses. Moreover, specific types of clamping systems have been shown, whereas the invention could be applied to other types of clamping systems within the scope of the attached claims. As a particular example, a clamping system for a top beam with a shoulder-supported tool, as is known in the art, could also be provided with the features of the main claim.
