METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GUIDING A TOOL

Abstract

Method and device for guiding a tool (2) in a recurring application of a product (3) moved along an X-axis, wherein the tool (2) is mounted on the Z-carriage (12) of a cross guide and is moved therewith along the Z-axis standing perpendicular on the X-axis, wherein the Z-carriage (12) is mounted on the X-carriage (10) of the cross guide, the guide of which is mounted along the X-axis in a base plane (13), wherein the X-carriage (10) is driven with an X-drive, wherein the Z-carriage (12) is driven by a Z-drive, which is held stationary in the base plane (13) and has a traction means (17) driven by a first servo motor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-carriage, which is driven from the base plane (13) on the movable Z-carriage (12), wherein a movement of the Z-carriage (12) that is brought about by the movement of the X-carriage (10) and a motive force caused thereby on the traction means (17), is compensated when actuating the first servo motor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-carriage.

Claims

1. A method for guiding a tool (2) in a repetitive action on a product (3) moving along an X-axis, wherein the tool (2) is mounted on the Z-slide (12) of a cross guide and, therefore, is moved along the Z-axis disposed perpendicular to the X-axis, wherein the Z-slide (12) is mounted on the X-slide (10) of the cross guide, the guidance of which along the X-axis is mounted in a base plane (13), wherein the X-slide (10) is driven with a X-drive (7), the Z-slide (12) is driven with a Z-drive (8), which is held in a stationary manner in the base plane (13) and has a belt (17) driven by a first servomotor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-slide, said belt being guided on the movable Z-slide (12) from out of the base plane (13), wherein a movement of the Z-slide (12) caused by movement of the X-slide (10) and a resultant tractive force on the belt (17) is compensated for in the control of the first servomotor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-slide.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, for the control of the first servomotor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-slide, the movement of the X-slide (10) is registered and is taken into account, for the purpose of compensation, as an input variable in the control of the first servomotor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-slide during the action motion of the Z-slide.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the X-slide (10) is driven via a separate belt (14) by a second servomotor (7), the control parameters of which are taken into account in the control of the first servomotor (8) for the drive of the Z-slide.

4. A device for guiding a tool (2) in a repetitive action on a moving product (3), wherein the device comprises a cross guide, wherein the tool (2) is held on a Z-slide (12), the guidance of which defines the Z-axis of the cross guide, wherein the Z-slide (12) is movably held on an X-slide (10), the guidance of which defines the X-axis, which is perpendicular to the Z-axis, wherein the guidance along the X-axis is mounted in a base plane (13), wherein an X-drive is provided to drive the X-slide (10), for the drive of the Z-slide (12), a Z-drive is held in the base plane in a stationary manner, said Z-drive comprising a belt (17) driven by a first servomotor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-slide, wherein the belt (17) is guided in a T-shaped path, which has an X-leg (18) and a Z-leg (19), wherein the X-leg (18) extends around two pulleys (8, 16) held in the base plane (13) and forms a top pull (24) and a bottom pull, wherein the top pull (24) branches via a first tension roller (20) and a second tension roller (20a) held on the Z-slide (12) into a loop (19) forming the Z-leg, said loop being guided around another redirection roller (21), which is held on the X-slide (10) at the end of the Z-section, wherein a compensation device is provided for controlling the first servomotor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-slide so as to compensate for a movement of the Z-slide (12) caused by a movement of the X-slide (10).

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein one of the redirections is a redirection roller, which is drivable by the first servomotor (8) provided for the drive of the Z-slide is mounted on the shaft of the first servomotor (8) provided for driving the Z-slide.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the X-drive comprises a belt (14), which is operated by a second servomotor (7) and is redirected in a loop in the base plane.

7. The device according to any one of claims 4, wherein the tool is a transverse cutting knife (2), which is adapted for cutting, in a repetitive cutting process, a product moving at a conveyance speed in the conveyance direction along the X-axis.

8. The device according to any one of claims 4, wherein the compensation device is implemented in the control electronics for controlling the two servomotors (7, 8) and, in the control of one of the two servomotors (8), accounts for the control parameters of the respective other servomotor (7).

Description

[0021] A special embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and is described in greater detail in the following. Therein:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows the transverse cutting knife of a device according to the invention during operation, and

[0023] FIG. 2 shows the drive of the transverse cutting knife, and

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the drive.

[0025] FIG. 1 schematically shows a transverse cutting module of the type that can be used in the production process for producing a single stack 1 of cheese slices. Such a single stack 1 is cut off of a stack 3 of cheese bands, which have been placed on top of one another, by means of a transverse cutting knife 2, wherein said cheese bands move on a conveyor belt 4 continuously in the transport direction along the X-axis (arrow X), which is on the horizontal in this case. The transverse cutting of the stack 3 takes place, during the transport, along a Z-axis (arrow Z), which extends vertically in this example. The narrow transverse cutting knife 2, which is mounted on the lower edge of a holding frame 5, acts on the stack 3 in a repetitive, cutting manner along a predefined motion curve. In this connection, the transverse cutting knife 2 is guided to the point of the stack 3 at which the cut starts. It is then guided along with the transport motion of the stack 3 along the X-axis and simultaneously executes a cut along the Z-axis. After the cut is completed, the transverse cutting knife 2 is raised up and out and is guided rearward to the next starting point. The motion curve for this cutting action is predefined with respect to the product and the production cycle and is driven by two independent drives in the form of servomotors 7 and 8, which are located behind a plate 6 and are fixedly mounted there.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the back side of the plate, on which the servomotors 7 and 8 are located, each of which is controlled by non-illustrated, programmable control electronics. Since information regarding the momentary rotational angle of the servomotors is available, the control electronics know the actual position of both servomotors and can account for the current position of one in the control of the other. A compensation means is therefore implemented in the control electronics for controlling the two servomotors and, in the control of one of the two servomotors, accounts for the control parameters of the respective other servomotor. In this manner, it is possible, in particular, to compensate for a motion of the transverse cutting knife 2 in the Z-direction that is caused by movement in the X-direction, in the control of the Z-drive. The influence on the movement in the Z-direction by a movement in the X-direction is described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0027] As is evident from FIG. 2, the device comprises a cross guide having two slides, namely an X-slide 10, which is guided by means of an X-guide having the rails 9a, 9b, and a Z-slide 12, which is guided by means of a Z-guide having the rails 11a, 11b. The transverse cutting knife is held on the Z-slide and the rails 11a, 11b for the Z-slide are mounted on the X-slide 10, as shown. In contrast, the rails 9a, 9b for the X-slide are mounted in a stationary manner on a base plane 13 (base plate).

[0028] The X-drive for driving the X-slide takes place by means of the second servomotor 7, which is mounted on the base plane 13 and drives a pulling means in the form of a belt 14. The X-slide is fixedly coupled to the belt 14 and is pulled forward or backward along the X-axis by this belt, depending on the direction of rotation of the second servomotor 7. The belt 14 is redirected by means of a redirection roller 15, which is mounted coaxial with the second servomotor 7, relative to the X-axis, on the base plane 13.

[0029] The drive of the Z-slide 12 is designed similarly to that of the X-slide 10 and also has a first servomotor 8, which is held in the base plane in a stationary manner, and a redirection roller 16, which is mounted coaxial with the first servomotor 8, relative to the X-axis, on the base plane 13. The first servomotor 8 and the redirection roller 16 therefore form two redirections that are held in the base plane. The first servomotor 8 drives a pulling means in the form of a belt 17. In the case of the Z-drive, the belt 17 is guided in a T-shaped path, which has an X-leg with bottom pull 18 and top pull 24 and a Z-leg 19.

[0030] The operating method of the drive of the compound table via the belts is illustrated in FIG. 3. The movement of the X-slide 10 in the X-direction (arrow) is driven by the second servomotor 7, which acts on the X-slide 10 via the belt 14. The belt 14 is fixed on the X-slide 10 at the points 22. The drive of the Z-slide 12 with the first servomotor 8, which is held in a stationary manner, utilizes the belt 17, which is guided in a T-shaped path and the top pull 24 of which branches off in a loop, which forms the Z-leg 19, via two tension rollers 20 and 20a held on the X-slide 10. The belt 17 is redirected via a roller 21, which is held on the X-slide 10 at the end of the Z-leg 19. The Z-slide 12 is held on the belt 17 at the points 23 and is moved in the Z-direction (arrow) on the X-slide via the belt 17.

[0031] As is evident from the schematic diagram according to FIG. 3, a movement of the X-slide with the belt 17 fixedly held causes the Z-slide 12 to move, since the loop forming the Z-leg 19 is displaced and the Z-slide 12 fixed at a point 23 of the belt 17 moves relative to the X-slide. According to the invention, a compensation means is now available, which undertakes the control of the two servomotors 7 and 8 such that this movement of the Z-slide caused by the movement of the X-slide is compensated for by the Z-drive at least to the extent that is necessary for the desired motion sequence of the transverse cutting knife held on the Z-slide 12.

[0032] As described above, the method and the device for guiding a tool in a repetitive action on an object moving along the X-axis provides in a preferred embodiment the following: A device (forming a cross-drive) comprising an X-slide 10 capable of moving solely along the X-axis, a Z-slide 12 mounted on the X-slide 10 capable of moving perpendicular to the X-axis, and a tool 2 mounted on the Z-slide 12. The X-slide 10 is driven with an X-drive whereby in a preferred embodiment the X-slide 10 engaged with a second belt 14 engaged with a second servomotor drive 7 and a second fixed pulley 15 for moving the X-slide along the X-axis. The Z-slide 12 is engaged with a first belt 17, which is engaged with a first servomotor drive 8 and a second fixed pulley 16.

[0033] In that embodiment, at least the first servomotor drive 8 and the first fixed pulley 16 and, when present, the second servomotor drive 7 and the second fixed pulley 15, are mounted at fixed locations relative to each other. The X-slide 10 comprises a first traveling pulley 20 and a second traveling pulley 20a, wherein the first traveling pulley 20 and the second traveling pulley 20a are each fixedly mounted on the X-slide below the Z-slide 12 and redirecting the belt 14 from a horizontal direction to a vertical direction. The X-slide 10 further comprises a third traveling pulley 21, wherein the third traveling pulley 21 is fixedly mounted on the X-slide above the Z-slide 12 and redirecting the belt 14 from the first traveling pulley 20 to the second traveling pulley 20a, whereby the Z-slide 12 may be engaged with the belt 14 between the first traveling pulley 20 and the third traveling pulley 21 for driving the Z-slide 12 perpendicular to the X-axis.

[0034] An article 3 moving along the X-axis may be provided, which moves along the X-axis. In a preferred embodiment, the X-slide 10 is driven along the X-axis by the second servomotor drive 7 via the second belt 14, while the Z-slide 12 is driven along the Z-axis with the first servomotor drive 8 via the first belt 17. As described above, the first servomotor drive 8 is controlled such that a movement of the Z-slide 12 caused by movement of the X-slide 10 and the resultant tractive force on the first belt 17 is compensated.

[0035] For that, advantageously the movement of the X-slide 10 is registered and used as an input variable for controlling the second servomotor drive 8.

[0036] The device may further comprise an electronic control device for controlling the second servomotor drive 7 and the first servomotor drive 8 for coordinating movement of the tool 2 via the second servomotor drive 7 and first servomotor drive 8.