DEVICE FOR FORMING ADD-ON PARTS

Abstract

The device has a support segment for supporting a workpiece, in particular a flat workpiece, and a carrier segment, in particular a cantilever, a gantry, or an articulated-arm robot, which carrier segment holds a working unit. According to a preferred embodiment, the carrier segment can extend at least partially over the support segment. The working unit, in turn, comprises a feeding unit for feeding a forming material and an attachment segment for a die. According to the invention, the die can be placed against a workpiece and comprises a cavity for forming a component.

Claims

1. A device (1) for processing workpieces (W), in particular for processing workpieces made of wood, wood materials or the like, comprising: a support segment (10) for holding a workpiece (W), a carrier segment (20), in particular a cantilever, a gantry or an articulated-arm robot, which carrier segment (20) holds a working unit (30), the working unit (30) holding a die (35, 35, 35) which can be placed against a workpiece and comprising a feeding unit (31) for feeding a forming material into an inlet opening (36, 36, 36) of the die (35, 35, 35), which die (35, 35, 35) has a cavity (37, 37, 37) for forming a component (B) and a discharge opening (38, 38, 38).

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the working unit (30) has an extruder motor (33) with which an extruder screw disposed in the feeding unit (31) can be driven.

3. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machining device (1) comprises a storage unit (40) for holding a number of dies (35), which storage unit is preferably provided adjacent to the support segment (10).

4. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working unit (30) can be moved in the vertical direction.

5. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working unit (30) comprises a sensor device, in particular a force and/or pressure sensor, in order to detect an arrangement of the die provided on the working unit (30) with respect to a workpiece (W), and/or the die (35, 35, 35) can be moved resiliently.

6. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support segment (10) is a conveying device, in particular a roller conveyor, a belt conveyor, a chain conveyor or a band conveyer, in order to move a workpiece (W), and/or the carrier segment (20) is moveable, in particular can travel, along the support segment (10).

7. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the die (35, 35) has two die halves (35a, 35b) that can be moved, in particular pivoted and/or shifted, relative to one another.

8. The device (1) according to any of claims 1-6, characterized in that the die (35) is made in one part, the cavity (37) of the die (35) having a draft angle.

9. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feeding unit (31) has a heated segment, for example a heated hose, for feeding a forming material.

10. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the die has in the region of the discharge opening (38, 38, 38) an annular projection or an elastic ring which can be introduced into a depression, in particular a bore hole, in a workpiece or can be placed around a depression, in particular a bore hole, in a workpiece, or the discharge opening (38, 38, 38) is provided with a bevel.

11. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working unit (30) can be pivoted about at least one axis, preferably about two or more axes, and/or the die (35, 35, 35) can be pivoted about at least one axis, preferably about two or more axes.

12. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the die (35, 35, 35) has a cooling device.

13. A method for processing preferably flat workpieces (W), in particular for processing workpieces made of wood, wood materials or the like, preferably using a device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps: providing a workpiece (W), placing a die (35, 35, 35) against the workpiece (W), which die (35, 35, 35) comprises a cavity (37, 37, 37) for forming a component (B) and a discharge opening (38, 38), introducing, in particular pushing in, a forming material into the die (35, 35, 35) in order to form a component on the workpiece (W).

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the workpiece (W) is provided with a depression, in particular a bore hole, and the discharge opening (38, 38, 38) of the die (35, 35, 35) is disposed in the region of the depression on the workpiece (W).

15. The method according to either of claims 13-14, characterized in that the forming material is selected from a material that comprises at least partially wood material, in particular wood foam, wood flour, abrasive dust, wood shavings, cellulose or similar, or a metal paste or foam, a synthetic paste or foam or a pasty material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1

[0034] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a segment of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in detail

[0036] FIG. 5a is another detailed view of elements which are produced in the machining device according to the present embodiment

[0037] FIG. 5b shows an example of a workpiece which has been provided with two add-on parts (dowels) on an inclined surface

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a partial sectional view of a die with a cavity with a draft angle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] In the following exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained with reference to the attached figures. Further modifications of specific individual features that are mentioned in this connection may respectively be combined with one another individually in order to form further embodiments.

[0040] The machining device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a support segment 10 for holding workpieces W. The support segment 10 is only illustrated schematically in the figures and comprises, for example, a machine bed and a support table. Furthermore, the support segment may comprise a conveying device for conveying workpieces into the region of a carrier segment 20. Purely by way of example, it is possible in this connection to hold the workpieces W on suction clamps which can be moved relative to the machine bed.

[0041] Within the framework of the present embodiment the carrier segment 20 is a gantry against which a working unit 30 is held. The working unit 30 can be moved along the carrier segment 20 by means of a carriage and so can adopt different positions in the transverse direction above the support segment 10. Additionally, the carrier segment can be moved along the support segment 10.

[0042] The working unit 30 comprises a feeding unit 31 which, according to the present embodiment, holds an extruder screw. Furthermore, there is provided on an upper segment of the working unit 30 in the vertical direction an introducing segment 32 which is only illustrated schematically in the figures. Disposed on the working unit 30 in the region of the introducing segment 32 is an extruder motor 33 which is therefore likewise provided on an upper segment of the working unit 30 in the vertical direction. The extruder motor 33 drives the extruder screw held in the feeding unit in order to convey forming material to a die (described below) attached to the working unit 30. The introduction of the forming material, which either takes place continuously or with a delivery stroke, takes place with a certain degree of pressure so that the forming material fills a cavity in the die and furthermore penetrates into a bore hole in the workpiece. By applying pressure, the material is furthermore pushed into pores of the surface of the bore hole. This is particularly advantageous in the case of chipboards.

[0043] The working unit 30 further comprises an attachment segment for holding a die 35. The die 35 can, as explained below, be replaced with another die 35. Accordingly, the working unit 30 is provided with a corresponding interface by means of which the described exchange of dies is made possible.

[0044] Adjacent to the support segment 10 is a storage unit 40 which, according to the present embodiment, extends on a long side of the support segment 10 of the machining device 1. The storage unit 40 is set up to hold a number of dies 35 which may be substituted into the working unit 30. The transfer of the dies 35 to the machining unit 30 is not explicitly shown in the figures due to the schematic illustration, but is easily comprehensible to people skilled in the art. In particular, the exchange system for the dies may be compared to a tool changer.

[0045] According to another modification, the storage unit 40 may also be in the form of a disc changer which comprises a pivotable disc with a number of positions for holding dies. In addition, this type of storage device may also comprise a number of holding planes.

[0046] Although not shown in the figures, a transfer device can furthermore be provided for removing a die from the storage unit 40 and transferring it to the working unit 30.

[0047] The die 35, which is for example attached to the working unit 30 in FIG. 1, is composed according to one embodiment of two die halves 35a, 35b which can be pivoted relative to one another. In this way it is possible to provide the component B illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 on the workpiece W which shows a door knob for a draw with a spherical segment.

[0048] The form of the components B which can be attached to a workpiece W is defined by the configuration of the cavity 37, 37 of the die 35, 35. A wide variety of examples of such components B are illustrated in the figures. For example, component B can be a cylindrical pin, a drawer handle, a spherical knob or similar.

[0049] The die 35, 35 comprises an inlet opening 36, 36 through which a forming material can be introduced into the die, which forming material passes through the feeding unit 31. From the inlet opening 36, 36 the forming material passes into the cavity 37, 37 of the die. The die further comprises a discharge opening 38, 38 which is connected to the cavity 37, 37 and is formed on the side of the die which points towards a workpiece W during operation of the die.

[0050] Although the die according to one embodiment in FIGS. 1-4 is made in two parts, within the framework of the present invention a one-part die 35 can also be used, as shown for example in FIG. 6.

[0051] The die 35 illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises here, as in the previous examples, an inlet opening 36, a cavity 37 and a discharge opening 38. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the cavity 37 is in the form of a truncated cone, and so the side wall of the cavity 37 represents a draft angle. In this way it is possible to introduce a forming material through the inlet opening 36 into the cavity 37, the forming material entering the workpiece W partially through the discharge opening 38 into a depression, notch or bore hole. After the forming material has cured at least partially, the die 35 according to FIG. 6 can be removed from the workpiece W, the component B formed on the workpiece W remaining on the latter.

[0052] Therefore, operation of the machining device 1 can be described in detail as follows.

[0053] First of all a workpiece W is delivered which is preferably provided with one or more bore holes or is provided with one such bore hole by means of the machining device 1 which is provided with a drilling or milling unit.

[0054] Although within the framework of the present embodiment a bore hole or a similar depression is preferably prepared on the workpiece W in the region in which the component B is to be provided, the workpiece W must not necessarily be provided with such a bore hole. Furthermore, other types of depression may alternatively be provided on the workpiece.

[0055] The working unit 30 is aligned by a movement of the workpiece W and/or movements of the carrier segment 20 or of the working unit 30 relative to one another. Then the working unit 30 is advanced in a vertical direction towards the flat workpiece W so that the discharge opening 38 of the die 35 is aligned with the bore hole already provided in the workpiece W. Then the die 35 is pressed against the workpiece by a movement of the working unit 30 or a movement of the die 35 relative to the working unit 30.

[0056] Preferably, a sensor device is provided in the region of the die 35 or of the working unit 30 in order to establish a sufficient contact pressure. If there is an appropriate contact pressure which guarantees sealing of the die relative to the workpiece W, the extruder motor 33 is actuated in order to convey forming material in the direction of the die 35.

[0057] After the forming material has at least partially cured, the two-part die 35 according to FIG. 1 is opened by a pivoting motion and the component B formed by the die 35 cures further at ambient temperature.

[0058] In this connection the die can be provided with a cooling element or a cooling device in order to cool the forming material actively after being introduced into the die, and so to accelerate the processing procedure further.

[0059] Different examples of add-on parts on workpieces are shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b.

[0060] For example, a workpiece W with a number of pins (see the illustration on the left in FIG. 5a) or a handle (see the illustration on the right in FIG. 5a) can be provided as an example of an add-on part B.

[0061] Furthermore, within the framework of the present invention it is possible to attach add-on parts B to an inclined surface of a workpiece W (see FIG. 5b). For this purpose, the working unit 30 and/or the die 35, 35 is/are turned so that the latter can be placed against the inclined surface of the workpiece W.

[0062] Although within the framework of the above description dies have been described which have a single cavity, according to another configuration of the present invention it is possible to use dies which comprise a number of cavities so that a number of components can be formed on a workpiece at the same time.