SWIVEL BENDING MACHINE

Abstract

A swivel bending machine has, in front of a front side of a workpiece holding unit, a support table for workpieces to be bent. A workpiece manipulator picks up workpieces to be bent from at least one table end region and takes the workpieces, in parallel with the longitudinal direction of a bending beam, to a portion in the longitudinal center of the workpiece holding unit. The workpiece manipulator has a first pair of clamping tongs and, spaced apart from the first pair in the longitudinal direction of the bending beam, a second pair of clamping tongs for clamping a workpiece. At least one pair of clamping tongs has a first stop surface for referencing workpiece positioning in relation to the longitudinal direction of the bending beam and a second stop surface for referencing positioning of this workpiece in relation to a depth direction of the swivel bending machine.

Claims

1. A swivel bending machine (1), comprising a machine frame; a workpiece holding unit (3) connected with the machine frame with a first clamping tool (4) and an adjustable second clamping tool (5) interacting therewith for fixing a workpiece (2) in a horizontal working plane (6) in such a way that a workpiece portion (7) to be bent can protrude beyond the workpiece holding unit (3); a bending beam (8) mounted adjustably on the machine frame and connected to an adjusting drive (9) for bending a workpiece portion (7); wherein the bending beam (8) has an approximately C-shaped beam cross section (10) and two bending tools (13, 14) running opposite to and facing one another with respect to a horizontal center plane (11) in the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8), between which a workpiece portion (7) of a workpiece (2) is insertable; a support table (17) for workpieces (2) to be bent in a region in front of a front side (18) of the workpiece holding unit (3), said front side (18) representing the side of the workpiece holding unit (3) opposite the bending beam (8), said support table (17) having a table length (19) when measured in parallel to the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8) of more than 1.5 m between its two table end regions (20, 21) and said support table (17) having a table depth (22) when measured in parallel to the horizontal working plane (6) and perpendicularly to the front side (18) of more than 1.0 m, wherein a depth direction (16) of the swivel bending machine (1) is defined by the series arrangement of the support table (17), the workpiece holding unit (3), and the bending beam (8); a workpiece manipulator (23) which is configured to receive workpieces coming from at least one of the table end regions (20, 21) and place them parallel to the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8) in a section in the region of the longitudinal center (24) of the workpiece holding unit (3), wherein the workpiece manipulator (23) has a first pair of clamping tongs (25) and, spaced apart from the first pair in the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8), a second pair of clamping tongs (26) for establishing a clamping connection with respect to a workpiece, and wherein at least one of the two pairs of clamping tongs (25, 26) has a first stop surface (27, 28) for the referencing positioning of a workpiece in relation to the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8) and a second stop surface (29, 30) for referencing positioning of this workpiece in relation to the depth direction (16) of the swivel bending machine (1).

2. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece manipulator (23) is movable into and out of the inner region (33) of the bending beam (8) enclosed by the C-shaped beam cross section (10) by means of a guide arrangement (32) running parallel to the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8).

3. The swivel bending machine according to claim 2, wherein the workpiece manipulator (23) is movable beyond at least one longitudinal end (34) of the first or second clamping tool (4, 5) or the lower or upper bending tool (13, 14) by means of the guide arrangement (32).

4. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26) are each fixed on a translational adjusting axle (35, 36) and these adjusting axles (35, 36) are provided for the controlled positioning of the first and second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26) along the depth direction (16) of the swivel bending machine (1).

5. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26) each comprise a pneumatically actuable adjusting cylinder (37, 38) for closing the respective pair of clamping tongs (25, 26).

6. The swivel bending machine according to claim 5, wherein the first and the second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26) each have a wedge-shaped, tapering activating section (40), and wherein an adjusting piston (41) extendable from the adjusting cylinder (37, 38) is insertable with an expanding effect into the activating section (40).

7. The swivel bending machine according to claim 4, wherein the first and the second adjusting axles (35, 36) each have an electric motor (48, 49) and each have a threaded spindle (50, 51) coupled with the electric motor (48, 49) for the translational adjustment of the first and second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26).

8. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein the first or the second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26) or the first and the second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26) are configured to grip a side edge (52) of a workpiece (2) which runs parallel to the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8) and is arranged closest to the bending beam (8).

9. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein the first stop surface (27, 28), which is provided for referencing a workpiece (2) in relation to the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8), runs vertically and transversely to the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8) and is positioned outside of a clamping portion (53, 54) of the first and second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26).

10. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or the second pair of clamping tongs (25, 26) comprise(s) a non-pivotable lower support finger (42, 43) and an upper clamping finger (44, 45), which upper clamping finger (44, 45) is, in relation to the lower support finger (42, 43), mounted pivotably around a horizontal pivot axle (46, 47).

11. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece manipulator (23) is configured such as to only use the first stop surface (27, 28) of one of the two pairs of clamping tongs (25, 26) for referencing a workpiece (2) in the longitudinal direction (12) of the bending beam (8) and to exclusively use the clamping effect of the other of the two pairs of clamping tongs (26, 25) with respect to that workpiece (2).

12. The swivel bending machine according to claim 1, wherein a supporting body (56) of an additional manipulator (57) protrudes from a table level (55) of the support table (17) in vertical direction, which additional manipulator (57) has a rotation stamp (58) rotatable around a vertical axis for turning workpieces (2) to be machined around the vertical axis, and wherein the supporting body (56) protrudes vertically in the longitudinal center (24) or in the region of the longitudinal center (24) of the support table (17).

Description

[0027] For a better understanding of the invention, it is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures.

[0028] These show in simplified, schematic, and exemplary representation:

[0029] FIG. 1 a swivel bending machine with a support table for workpieces to be bent arranged on the front side, from above;

[0030] FIG. 2 the support table, the workpiece holding unit, and the bending beam of the swivel bending machine according to FIG. 1, in schematic side view;

[0031] FIG. 3 a close-up of the swivel bending machine according to FIG. 1 with the workpiece manipulator;

[0032] FIG. 4 an operator of the swivel bending machine during the transfer of a sheet metal workpiece to the workpiece manipulator of the swivel bending machine;

[0033] FIG. 5 the first and second pair of clamping tongs of the workpiece manipulator for a swivel bending machine according to FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 6 the left-hand pair of clamping tongs cut out from FIG. 5 according to lines VI-VI in FIG. 5;

[0035] FIG. 7 the left-hand pair of clamping tongs cut out from FIG. 5 according to lines VII-VII in FIG. 5.

[0036] It is worth noting here that the same parts have been given the same reference numerals or same component configurations in the embodiments described differently, yet the disclosures contained throughout the entire description can be applied analogously to the same parts with the same reference numerals or the same component configurations. The indications of position selected in the description, such as above, below, on the side etc. refer to the figure directly described and shown, and these indications of position can be applied in the same way to the new position should the position change.

[0037] FIGS. 1 to 4 show an example embodiment of a swivel bending machine 1 for the deformation of workpieces 2 made from sheet metal, whereby FIGS. 2 to 4 show close-ups of this swivel bending machine 1. This machine comprises at least one machine frame, not shown in more detail here, in particular a support construction for the individual machine components and machine aggregates. Accordingly, a workpiece holding unit 3 connected to the machine frame is provided for fixing or clamping a sheet metal workpiece 2 during its deformation. Such a workpiece holding unit 3 comprises a first, usually fixed clamping tool 4 and a second, relatively adjustable second clamping tool 5 in interaction with the first clamping tool 4 for fixing a workpiece 2 in a horizontal working plane 6. The fixation or clamping of a workpiece 2 to be machined is performed such that a workpiece portion 7 to be bent protrudes in a tongue-like fashion in relation to the workpiece holding unit 3.

[0038] Furthermore, a bending beam 8 is mounted on the machine frame which is connected with a controllable adjusting drive 9 and is thereby held adjustably relative to the machine frame. The bending beam 8 serves to bend the workpiece portion 7 protruding from the workpiece holding unit 3 in an upward vertical direction and/or downward vertical direction.

[0039] The bending beam 8 has an approximately C-shaped beam cross section 10 and two bending tools 13, 14 running in a longitudinal direction 12FIG. 1of the bending beam 8 or the swivel bending machine 1, opposite and facing one another in relation to a horizontal center plane 11. A workpiece portion 7 to be bent of a workpiece 2 is insertable between the lower and the upper bending tool 13, 14. The respective desired deformation of the workpiece 2 is achievable by an upward or downward bending of the workpiece portion 7 by means of the relative adjustment of the bending beam 8 in height direction 15 and/or in depth direction 16 of the swivel bending machine 1.

[0040] The swivel bending machine 1 further comprises, in a region in front of a front side 18 of a workpiece holding unit 3, a support table 17 for workpieces 2 to be bent. The front side 18 of the workpiece holding unit 3 is the side of the workpiece holding unit 3 facing away from the bending beam 8. Accordingly, the support table 17 and the bending beam 8 are arranged opposite one another in relation to the workpiece holding unit 3. The support table 17 has a table length 19, measured in parallel to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8, of more than 1.5 meters between its two table end regions 20, 21. The support table 17 has a table depth 22, measured in parallel to the horizontal working plane 6 and perpendicularly to the front side 17, of more than 1.0 meters. The depth direction 16 of the swivel bending machine 1 is defined by the series arrangement of the support table 17, the workpiece holding unit 3, and the bending beam 8. Accordingly, the support table 17 has such a large, horizontal surface extension that an operator only has difficult access to or only relatively poor visibility of the workpiece holding unit 7 or of the support table 17 edge closest to the workpiece holding unit 7. The support table 17 extends directly or substantially gap-free to the workpiece holding unit 3. In particular, the support table 17 extends so close to the workpiece holding unit 3 that an operator is not able to find space or step in between it.

[0041] Preferably, the table length 19 of the support table 17 equates at least to the maximum usable length of the workpiece holding unit 3. Typically, the table length 19 is greater than the maximum usable length of the workpiece holding unit 3 or greater than the maximum usable length of the bending tools 13, 14. All length designations in the present description relate to a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8.

[0042] The swivel bending machine 1 further comprises a workpiece manipulator 23, which is configured to take up workpieces 2 to be bent, in particular flat sheet metal panels, from at least one of the two table end regions 20, 21, for example gripping at the right-hand table end region 21. The workpiece manipulator 23 is further configured or provided to move a taken or gripped workpiece 2 parallel to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8 into a portion in the region of a longitudinal center 24FIG. 1, 2of the workpiece holding unit 3 or the bending beam 8. Workpieces 2 to be machined are generally clamped in the region of the longitudinal center 24 of the workpiece holding unit 3 and subsequently subjected to a deformation force from at least one of the bending tools 13, 14.

[0043] The workpiece manipulator 23 has at least a first pair of clamping tongs 25 and, spaced apart from the first pair in the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8, a second pair of clamping tongs 26 for establishing a clamping connection with respect to a workpiece 2 to be machined. The clamping function of the two pairs of clamping tongs 25, 26 with respect to a workpiece 2 to be transported is preferably used selectively, that is to say using only one of the two pairs of clamping tongs 25, 26, as is shown as an example in FIG. 4. Accordingly, a workpiece to be transported is clamped either by the first pair of clamping tongs 25 or alternatively by the second pair of clamping tongs 26.

[0044] As can further best be seen from FIG. 4, at least the first pair of clamping tongs 25 has, but preferably both pairs of clamping tongs 25, 26 have, a first stop surface 27, 28 for referencing, in particular for referencing positioning, a workpiece 2 to be machined in relation to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8. Furthermore, at least the first pair of clamping tongs 25 has, but preferably both pairs of clamping tongs 25, 26 have, a second stop surface 29, 30 for referencing that workpiece 2 in relation to the depth direction 16 of the swivel bending machine 1.

[0045] By manually placing or sliding a workpiece 2 to be machined up to at least three of the stop surfaces 27 or 28 and 29, 30, the workpiece 2 can be positioned exactly in relation to the zero point or reference point of a control device 31 of the swivel bending machine 1 and be exactly aligned (oriented) in relation to a reference line or reference position. Subsequent manipulation processes with respect to the workpiece 2, in particular transport and bending processes, can then relate to this reference point or the reference line. Once the support level for the workpiece 2 to be fed has also been predefined or is known on the workpiece manipulator 23, the alignment and position of the workpiece 2 to be machined is defined in the three-dimensional space for the control device 31. The subsequent manipulation processes with respect to the correspondingly aligned and positioned workpiece 2 are initiated or controlled partially or fully automatically by the control device 31.

[0046] As can best be seen from FIGS. 2 to 4, by means of a guide arrangement 32 running parallel to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8, the workpiece manipulator 23 can be automatically or controllably adjustably moved into and out of the inner region 33 of the bending beam 8 enclosed by the C-shaped beam cross section 10. In particular, the workpiece manipulator 23 with its two pairs of clamping tongs 25, 26 can, by means of the guide arrangement 32 and at least one adjusting drive not shown in more detail here, be moved beyond at least one longitudinal end 34 of the first or second clamping tool 4, 5 or the bending tool 13, 14, as is shown, for example, in FIGS. 3, 4.

[0047] One embodiment of the two pairs of clamping tongs 25, 26 of the workpiece manipulator 23 is shown in FIG. 5. The first pair and the second pair of clamping tongs 25, 26 are each attached to a translational adjusting axle 35, 36. These adjusting axles 35, 36 are provided for the controlled positioning of the first pair and second pair of clamping tongs 25, 26 along the depth direction 16 of the swivel bending machine 1. An adjustment movement or positioning process of the adjusting axles 35, 36 can occur independently of one another or be decoupled from one another. A maximum available adjustment path of the adjusting axles 35, 36 can only amount to between 30 mm to 100 mm, in particular approximately 50 mm.

[0048] The first and second pair of clamping tongs 25, 26 each have a pneumatically actuable adjusting cylinder 37, 38 for closing the respective pair of clamping tongs 25, 26. The adjusting cylinders 37, 38 can be configured as single-acting cylinders. To return to the open position or to the starting position, the clamping tongs 25, 26 can each have a return spring 39, as can be seen in FIG. 6. For controllable closing, the first pair and the second pair of clamping tongs 25, 26 can each have an inner, wedge-shaped, tapering activating section 40. An adjusting piston 41 which is extendable from the adjusting cylinder 37, 38 is insertable with an expanding effect into the activating section 40 in order to activate the clamping tongs 25, 26. Such an active clamping or closed position without a workpiece 2 is shown in FIG. 6.

[0049] The first, and preferably also the second pair of clamping tongs 25, 26, have a non-pivotable lower support finger 42, 43 and an upper clamping finger 44, 45. The upper clamping finger 44, 45 is, relative to the lower support finger 42, 43, pivotably mounted around a horizontal pivot axle 46, 47.

[0050] The first and the second adjusting axles 35, 36 each have an electric motor 48, 49 and each have a threaded spindle 50, 51 coupled with the electric motor 48, 49 for the translational adjustment of the first and the second pair of clamping tongs 25, 26 along the depth direction 16 of the swivel bending machine 1.

[0051] As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, the first and second pair of clamping tongs 25, 26 are configured to grip the side edge 52 of a workpiece 2 running parallel to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8 and arranged closest to the bending beam 8.

[0052] The first stop surface 27, 28 of the clamping tongs 25, 26 is provided for referencing or referencing position of a workpiece 2 in relation to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8. The first stop surface 27, 28 runs in a vertical direction and transversely to the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8. The first stop surface 27, 28 is preferably positioned outside of a clamping portion 53, 54 or outside of the horizontally extending clamping surface of the clamping tongs 25, 26. As shown by way of example, the first stop surface 27, 28 and the second stop surface 29, 30 can also be cambered or rounded.

[0053] The workpiece manipulator 23 can be configured such as to use the first stop surface 27 or 28 of only one of the two pairs of clamping tongs 25 or 26 for referencing a workpiece 2 in the longitudinal direction 12 of the bending beam 8 and to exclusively use the clamping effect of the other of the two pairs of clamping tongs 26 or 25 with respect to that workpiece 2. Accordingly, only one of the two pairs of clamping tongs 25, 26 provides referencing of the workpiece 2 with respect to the zero or starting point, whilst the other pair of clamping tongs 25, 26 clamps or holds the workpiece 2 in such a way that it can be transported by means of the workpiece manipulator 23 along the longitudinal direction 12 and along the depth direction 16.

[0054] As can be seen in FIG. 1, a supporting body 56 of an additional manipulator 57 can protrude from a horizontal table level 55 of the support table 17. This additional manipulator 57 has a rotation stamp 58 rotatable around a vertical axis for turning workpieces 2 to be machined around the vertical axis. The rotation stamp 58 is mounted on a substantially horizontally running support arm, which support arm extends from the supporting body 56 in the direction of the workpiece holding unit 3. The supporting body 56 protrudes vertically in the longitudinal center 24 or in the region of the longitudinal center 24 of the support table 17. It is therefore difficult to load the swivel bending machine 1 with workpieces 2 from said longitudinal side of the support table 17 which is facing away from or is located farthest away from the workpiece holding unit 3. The previously described workpiece manipulator 23 can provide assistance.

[0055] The invention is not limited to the specifically represented embodiment variations of the same. The scope of protection is defined by the claims. The description and the drawings should, however, be consulted when construing the claims. Individual features or combinations of features from the various example embodiments as shown and described can constitute separate inventive solutions. The problem to be solved by the individual inventive solutions can be derived from the description.

[0056] As a matter of form and by way of conclusion, it is noted that, to improve understanding of the structure, elements have partially not been shown to scale and/or enlarged and/or shrunk.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals 1 Swivel bending machine 2 Workpiece 3 Workpiece holding unit 4 First clamping tool 5 Second clamping tool 6 Horizontal working plane 7 Workpiece portion 8 Bending beam 9 Adjusting drive 10 Beam cross section 11 Horizontal center plane 12 Longitudinal direction 13 Bending tool 14 Bending tool 15 Height direction 16 Depth direction 17 Support table 18 Front side 19 Table length 20 Table end region 21 Table end region 22 Table depth 23 Workpiece manipulator 24 Longitudinal center 25 First pair of clamping tongs 26 Second pair of clamping tongs 27 First stop surface 28 First stop surface 29 Second stop surface 30 Second stop surface 31 Control device 32 Guide arrangement 33 Inner region 34 Longitudinal end 35 Adjusting axle 36 Adjusting axle 37 Adjusting cylinder 38 Adjusting cylinder 39 Return spring 40 Activating section 41 Adjusting piston 42 Support finger 43 Support finger 44 Clamp finger 45 Clamp finger 46 Pivot axle 47 Pivot axle 48 Electric motor 49 Electric motor 50 Threaded spindle 51 Threaded spindle 52 Side edge 53 Clamping portion 54 Clamping portion 55 Table level 56 Supporting body 57 Additional manipulator 58 Rotation stamp