BENDING PRESS AND/OR LOADING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a bending press (1) and/or a loading device (2) for loading a bending press (1) with bending tools (5, 6), comprising: at least one tool holder (3, 4; 13, 14) with a rail (7) having an inner profile (8) for receiving and displacing a bending tool (5, 6), at least one internal wall (9) of the rail (7) forming a guide structure (10) extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail (7); and at least one transfer device (15) drivable by a drive (21) for displacing a bending tool (5, 6) within the tool holder (3, 4; 13, 14) and/or between the tool holder (13, 14) of the loading device (2) and a tool holder (3, 4) of a bending press (1), wherein at least one portion of the transfer device (15) is guided by the guide structure (10) formed in the rail (7).

Claims

1-23. (canceled)

24: Bending press (1) and/or loading device (2) for loading a bending press (1) with bending tools (5, 6), comprising: at least one tool holder (3, 4; 13, 14) with a rail (7) having an inner profile (8) for receiving and displacing a bending tool (5, 6), at least one internal wall (9) of the rail (7) forming a guide structure (10) extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail (7); and at least one transfer device (15) drivable by a drive (21) for displacing a bending tool (5, 6) within the tool holder (3, 4; 13, 14) and/or between the tool holder (13, 14) of the loading device (2) and a tool holder (3, 4) of a bending press (1), wherein at least one portion of the transfer device (15) is guided by the guide structure (10) formed in the rail (7) and the bending tools (5, 6) inserted in the bending press (1) and/or loading device (2) are held in the same rail (7) as that in which the transfer device (15) or a portion of the transfer device (15) is also inserted and/or held.

25: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the transfer device (15) is displaceable along the guide structure (10) parallel with the longitudinal extension of the rail (7) and, in the direction perpendicular to the rail (7), is held by the guide structure (10) in the direction from the rail interior towards the rail opening.

26: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the bending tool (5, 6) is held in the rail (7) by the same guide structure (10) as that by which the at least one portion of the transfer device (15) is guided.

27: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the guide structure (10) is formed by a region of the inner profile (8) of the rail (7) that is wider than the rail opening (17).

28: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the guide structure (10) comprises at least one groove extending in an internal wall (9) of the rail (7).

29: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 28, wherein the guide structure (10) is formed by at least two oppositely lying grooves disposed in oppositely lying internal walls (9) of the rail (7).

30: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the guide structure (10) is provided in the form of discrete guide elements extending out from an internal wall (9) into the interior of the rail (7) and distributed in the longitudinal direction of the rail (7), wherein preferably the bending press (1) and/or the loading device (2) has a clamping device (11) for clamping the bending tool (5, 6) in the rail (7) and the discrete guide elements are provided in the form of drivable clamping elements (12) of the clamping device (11).

31: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the portion of the transfer device (15) guided by the guide structure (10) is an elongate, preferably flexible, pull and/or push transmitting means (16), in particular a belt, a cable, a rod or a chain.

32: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 31, wherein the pull and/or push transmitting means (16) is wider than the rail opening (17) and/or than the portion of the bending tool (5, 6) extending into the rail (7).

33: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 31, wherein the pull and/or push transmitting means (16) guided in the guide structure (10) extends for the most part, preferably entirely, inside the rail (7).

34: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the transfer device (15) comprises a shuttle (22) which is guided in the guide structure (10) provided in the rail (7).

35: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 34, wherein the shuttle (22) comprises at least one functional component, such as a coupling, a sensor for detecting a bending tool, an illuminating device, etc.

36: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 34, wherein the shuttle (22) is connected to the pull and/or push transmitting means (16) at one of its ends and has a releasable coupling (18) at its other end for connecting to a bending tool (5, 6), the coupling (18) preferably being a mechanical coupling, a magnetic coupling or a suction device.

37: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 34, wherein the shuttle (22) is of a self-propelling design, in which case the drive (21) is disposed in or on the shuttle (22).

38: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein a number of tool holders (3, 4; 13, 14) form a bending tool storage (23) and the tool holders (3, 4; 13, 14) can preferably be moved individually or in a co-operating unit relative to the transfer device (15).

39: Loading device according to claim 24, wherein the loading device (2) is a tool changer for changing one or more bending tools (5, 6) inserted in a bending press (1).

40: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 38, wherein the bending tool storage (23) is provided in the form of a. shelf, a turntable, a transfer table, a drum, a paternoster elevator and/or one or more racks.

41: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, comprising at least two tool holders (3, 4; 13, 14), wherein one tool holder (3; 13) is the upper tool holder and the other tool holder (4; 14) is the lower tool holder.

42: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 41, wherein the transfer device (15) guided in the rail (7) of one of the tool holders (3; 13) has a coupling (19) for connecting to a bending tool (6) inserted in the other tool holder (4; 14).

43: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the bending press (1) and/or the loading device (2) comprises at least two tool holders (4) which are disposed adjacent to one another in the direction extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of their rails (7), wherein their rails (7) open in the same direction, and at least one further tool holder (3), the rail (7) of which lies opposite the rail (7) of one of the adjacently disposed tool holders (4).

44: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 43, wherein at least one of the tool holders (4) is displaceable in a direction extending transversely, preferably substantially perpendicular to, the longitudinal direction of its rail (7) and transversely, preferably substantially perpendicular, to the direction in which its rail (7) opens, the two adjacently disposed tool holders (4) preferably being mounted on a common platform or forming a common platform which can be displaced relative to the further tool holder (3).

45: Bending press and/or loading device according to claim 24, wherein the bending press (1) and/or the loading device (2) comprises at least two transfer devices (15) which can preferably be activated independently of one another, wherein preferably one transfer device (15) is associated with the upper tool holder (3) and one transfer device (15) is associated with the lower tool holder (4).

46: Method for setting up a bending press (1) with bending tools (5, 6) and/or for changing one or more bending tools (5, 6) inserted in a bending press (1) using a loading device (2), wherein one or more bending tools (5, 6) are displaced by a transfer device (15) between the tool holder (13, 14) of the loading device (2) and the tool holder (3, 4) of the bending press (1), wherein the bending press (1) and/or the loading device (2) is/are as defined in claim 24.

47: Method according to claim 46, wherein the bending tool (5, 6) is held in the rail (7) of the tool holder (3, 4) of the bending press (1) and/or in the rail (7) of the tool holder (13, 14) of the loading device (2) by the same guide structure (10) as that through which the at least one portion of the transfer device (15) is moved.

48: Arrangement of a bending press (1) and a loading device (2) coupled therewith for setting up the bending press (1) with bending tools (5, 6), wherein the bending press (1) and/or the loading device (2) is/are as defined in claim 24.

Description

[0043] To provide a clearer understanding, the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the appended drawings.

[0044] These are highly simplified, schematic diagrams illustrating the following:

[0045] FIG. 1 a bending press proposed by the invention;

[0046] FIGS. 2 to 4 different variants of a rail inner profile with a transfer device extending therein;

[0047] FIG. 5 a rail inner profile with a shuttle extending therein;

[0048] FIG. 6 a transfer device extending in the upper tool holder, comprising pull and/or push transmitting means and a shuttle which is coupled with an upper tool by means of a coupling;

[0049] FIG. 7 an arrangement comprising a bending press and a loading device;

[0050] FIG. 8 a variant of a transfer device;

[0051] FIG. 9 a variant of a bending press and a loading device.

[0052] Firstly, it should be pointed out that the same parts described in the different embodiments are denoted by the same reference numbers and the same component names and the disclosures made throughout the description can be transposed in terms of meaning to same parts bearing the same reference numbers or same component names. Furthermore, the positions chosen for the purposes of the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., relate to the drawing specifically being described and can be transposed in terms of meaning to a new position when another position is being described.

[0053] The embodiments illustrated as examples represent possible variants of the bending press and loading device, and it should be pointed out at this stage that the invention is not specifically limited to the variants specifically illustrated, and instead the individual variants may be used in different combinations with one another and these possible variations lie within the reach of the person skilled in this technical field given the disclosed technical teaching.

[0054] Furthermore, individual features or combinations of features from the different embodiments illustrated and described may be construed as independent inventive solutions or solutions proposed by the invention in their own right.

[0055] The objective underlying the independent inventive solutions may be found in the description.

[0056] Above all, the individual embodiments of the subject matter illustrated in the drawings constitute independent solutions proposed by the invention in their own right. The objectives and associated solutions proposed by the invention may be found in the detailed descriptions of these drawings.

[0057] For the sake of good order, finally, it should be pointed out that, in order to provide a clearer understanding of the structure of the bending press and loading device, they and their constituent parts are illustrated to a certain extent out of scale and/or on an enlarged scale and/or on a reduced scale.

[0058] FIG. 1 illustrates a bending press 1 and it should be pointed out at this stage that a loading device 2 (FIG. 2) for setting up a bending press 1 with bending tools 5, 6 may likewise be provided and the following explanations may likewise apply to a loading device 2.

[0059] As may be seen from FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 in combination with FIG. 2, the bending press 1 and/or the loading device 2 has at least one tool holder 3, 4 respectively 13, 14 with a rail 7 having an inner profile 8 for receiving and moving a bending tool 5, 6.

[0060] As may be seen from FIG. 2, at least one internal wall 9 of the rail 7 forms a guide structure 10 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail 7:

[0061] A transfer device 15 which can be moved along the longitudinal extension of the rail 7 by means of a drive 21 (FIG. 7) is used to move a bending tool 5, 6 inside the tool holder 3, 4 respectively 13, 14 and/or between the tool holder 13, 14 of the loading device 2 and a tool holder 3, 4 of the bending press 1.

[0062] The portion of the transfer device 15 guided by the guide structure 10 is an elongate, preferably flexible, pull and/or push transmitting means 16 (FIG. 6). This is provided as a belt in the drawings but may also be a cable, rod or chain.

[0063] As may be seen from FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, at least one portion of the transfer device 15 is guided by means of the guide structure 10 in the rail 7.

[0064] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the bending tool 5 is held in the rail 7 by means of the same guide structure 10 as that in which the at least one portion of the transfer device 15 is guided.

[0065] In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the guide structure 10 is formed by a region of the inner profile 8 of the rail 7 that is wider than the rail opening 17. The pull and/or push transmitting means 16 is therefore wider than the rail opening 17 and/or than the portion of the bending tool 5, 6 extending into the rail 7.

[0066] In FIG. 2 the guide structure 10 comprises two grooves extending in oppositely lying internal walls 9 of the rail 7. The grooves are disposed opposite one another and the pull and/or push transmitting means 16 is inserted in the grooves.

[0067] In FIG. 4, the guide structure is provided in the form of a wedge-shaped section of the inner profile on which the pull and/or push transmitting means 16 sits.

[0068] In FIG. 3, the guide structure 10 is provided in the form of discrete guide elements which extend out from an internal wall 9 into the interior of the rail 7 and are distributed in the longitudinal direction of the rail 7. In the embodiment illustrated, the bending press 1 and/or the loading device 2 has a clamping device 11 for clamping the bending tool 5, 6 in the rail 7. Accordingly, the discrete guide elements are provided as drivable clamping elements 12 of the clamping device 11. The clamping elements 12 can be moved from a position releasing the bending tool (i.e. retracted) into a clamping position (i.e. extracted), e.g. by means of a pressurizing device (indicated by a cylinder-piston arrangement in FIG. 3).

[0069] As illustrated by the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6, the pull and/or push transmitting means 16 guided in the guide structure 10 extends entirely inside the rail 7.

[0070] As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the transfer device 15 comprises a shuttle 22 which is guided by the guide structure 10 in the rail 7. The shuttle 22 is connected to the pull and/or push transmitting means 16 at one of its ends and has a releasable coupling 18 at its other end for connecting to a bending tool 5, 6. The coupling 18 (only schematically illustrated in FIG. 6) may be a mechanical coupling, a magnetic coupling or a suction device. It may be based on the design disclosed in JP0584414U, in particular in FIG. 8. The coupling is capable of establishing a frictional and/or positively fitting connection with the bending tool.

[0071] In an alternative variant, the shuttle 22 could also be of a self-propelling design; this being the case, the drive for displacing the shuttle 22 may be disposed in or on the shuttle 22.

[0072] FIG. 7 illustrates an arrangement of a bending press 1 and a loading device 2 coupled with it for setting up the bending press 1 with bending tools 5, 6. The rail 7 of the bending press tool holders 3, 4 and the rail 7 of the loading device tool holders 13, 14 coupled therewith preferably have the same guide structure 10, preferably the same inner profile 8. In other words, the cross-section through the guide structure and inner profile are identical both on the bending press side and on the loading device side.

[0073] FIG. 7 illustrates a number of tool holders 13, 14 which form a bending tool storage 23 of the loading device 2. As indicated by the double arrow, the tool holders 13, 14 can be moved individually or as a co-operating unit relative to the transfer device 15 so that a transfer device 15 is able to move into different tool holders and move the bending tools stored there into the bending press 1. The loading device 2 in this instance is a tool changer for changing one or more bending tools 5, 6 inserted in a bending press 1. The bending tool storage 23 may be provided in the form of a shelf, a turntable, a transfer table, a drum, a paternoster elevator and/or one or more racks.

[0074] As may be seen from the drawings, the bending press 1 and/or loading device 2 comprises at least two tool holders 3, 4 respectively 13, 14, and one tool holder 3 respectively 13 is the upper tool holder and the other tool holder 4 respectively 14 is the lower tool holder.

[0075] The bending press 1 or loading device 2 illustrated in FIG. 7 comprises at least two transfer devices 15 which can preferably be activated independently of one another, one transfer device 15 co-operating with the upper tool holder 3 respectively 13 and one transfer device 15 co-operating with the lower tool holder 4 respectively 14.

[0076] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the transfer device 15 guided in the rail 7 of one of the tool holders (in this instance the upper tool holder 3) has a coupling 19 for connecting to a bending tool 6 inserted in the other tool holder (in this instance the lower tool holder 4). The coupling 19 may be similar to or based on a similar principle to the coupling 18 already described.

[0077] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the bending press 1 and/or the loading device 2 has at least two tool holders 4 (in this instance: for lower tools) which are disposed adjacent to one another in the direction extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of their rails 7, and their rails 7 open in the same direction. Another tool holder 3 (in this instance: for upper tools) is provided, the rail 7 of which lies opposite the rail 7 of one of the adjacently disposed tool holders 4.

[0078] The two adjacently disposed tool holders 4 are mounted on a common platform (or alternatively could form a common platform). The platform is displaceable relative to the upper tool holder 3 in a direction extending transversely or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of its rail 7 and transversely or perpendicular to the direction in which its rail 7 opens.

[0079] As mentioned above, an automated loading device 2 is used for a method of setting up a bending press 1 with bending tools 5, 6 and/or changing one or more bending tools 5, 6 inserted in a bending press 1. Accordingly, one or more bending tools 5, 6 are moved by a transfer device 15 between the tool holder 13, 14 of the loading device 2 and the tool holder 3, 4 of the bending press 1. In this respect, the bending tool 5, 6 is held in the rail 7 of the tool holder 3, 4 of the bending press 1 and/or in the rail 7 of the tool holder 13, 14 of the loading device 2 by the same guide structure 10 as that by means of which the at least one portion of the transfer device 15 is moved.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0080] 1 Bending press [0081] 2 Loading device [0082] 3 Tool holder [0083] 4 Tool holder [0084] 5 Bending tool (upper tool) [0085] 6 Bending tool (lower tool) [0086] 7 Rail [0087] 8 Inner profile [0088] 9 Internal wall [0089] 10 Guide structure [0090] 11 Clamping device [0091] 12 Clamping element [0092] 13 Tool holder [0093] 14 Tool holder [0094] 15 Transfer device [0095] 16 Pull and/or push transmitting means [0096] 17 Rail opening [0097] 18 Coupling [0098] 19 Coupling [0099] 20 Pin [0100] 21 Drive [0101] 22 Shuttle [0102] 23 Bending tool storage